30 August 2026
After a drone threat was declared in Russia’s Rostov region, a fire broke out at the Millerovo airbase, where the 31st Fighter Aviation Regiment, operating Su-30SM aircraft, is based.
NASA’s FIRMS monitoring service detected the fire.
According to satellite data, the fire was detected on the airbase grounds at 3:33 a.m. local time.
Previously, at 12:36 a.m. and 12:47 a.m., a drone threat was declared in the area around the city.
Meanwhile, Rostov region Governor Yury Slyusar confirmed that the city had come under attack, but did not mention any strike on the airfield in his statement.
Fire at the Millerovo airbase in Russia’s Rostov Region, August 30, 2026. Analysis by Militarnyi, ESRI map data, and NASA FIRMS data
The military airbase has been targeted by Ukrainian strikes before, as it is located in close proximity to Ukraine’s state border.
Because of its proximity to the border, the Russian military does not permanently station aircraft there.
The airbase stores ammunition, fuel, and other lubricants, and houses military personnel. In July 2024, Ukraine launched a strike on the airfield. The targets included the fuel and lubricant storage facility and a technical aircraft hangar.
Before Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Millerovo military airbase served as the permanent base of the 31st Fighter Aviation Regiment. The regiment is part of the 1st Mixed Aviation Division of the Russian Aerospace Forces.
The fuel and lubricant storage facility at Millerovo airfield after a Ukrainian drone attack on July 21, 2024. Photo credits: Radio Free Europe/Radio Svoboda
The aviation regiment based in Russia’s Rostov region is equipped with Su-30SM fighter jets.
Militarnyi previously reported that on August 22, 2026, the Ukrainian Defense Forces struck a Russian Niobium radar and 18 storage buildings used to house drones at Primorsko-Akhtarsk airbase in Russia’s Krasnodar Krai.
Russian forces use Primorsko-Akhtarsk airbase to launch strike drones against Ukraine. The airbase also serves as a base and maintenance hub for combat aircraft carrying out missions in southern Ukraine.