Ukraine’s army landed a number of devastating blows on Putin’s Russia, as Kyiv stepped up its aerial attacks on military positions and industrial sites. In a spectacular strike, Ukrainian MiG-29s targeted a Russian drone command centre deep behind enemy lines near Zaporizhzhia.

The planes fired Western-made guided missiles at the UAV, destroying it in the process. At the same time, the planes struck an ammunition and fuel depot next to the drone headquarters.

The attack was captured on video by a reconnaissance drone, before being posted to social media channels.

Images show a cloud of black smoke rising up from the drone base, before a massive ball of flames erupts from the arms depot.

The attacks are part of a Ukrainian strategy to hit Russia‘s vulnerable rear positions and sow havoc inside Putin’s army.

Eliminating UAV control hubs directly weakens Russian aerial reconnaissance, loitering munitions and real-time battlefield targeting.

Fuel and ammunition losses slow resupply efforts, paralyse frontline units and force costly rerouting of supply chains.

Ukraine also targeted a number of large chemical plants inside Russia in further drone attacks overnight on Friday.

Residents reported explosions coming from narrow the Novokuybyshevsk Catalyst Plant in the Samara region.

Video images appear to show a ball of flames erupting from the plant, as the attack unfolds.

The Catalyst plant is part of the huge state energy company Rosneft and is one of the largest plants in Russia and Eastern Europe in the area of gas processing.

It specialises in the production and regeneration of catalysts for oil refining and petrochemicals.

Kyiv’s General Staff additionally confirmed an attack on Nevinnomysskiy Azot chemical plant in the Stavropol region, some 620 miles from the Ukrainian border.

It is one of the key producers of components for explosives, ammunition and rocket fuel, according to Kyiv.