Ukraine Targets Key Russian Aircraft Repair Facility in Novgorod

Ukrainian defence forces launched a strike on the night of November 9 and 10 against the 123th Aircraft Repair Plant located in Staraya Russa, within Russia's Novgorod Oblast. The facility is a critical hub for the maintenance and upgrading of specific military aviation assets, most notably the A-50 airborne early warning and control aircraft.

According to information released by Ukraine's General Staff, the attack triggered significant explosions at the plant, which were followed by a fire. Military officials are currently gathering data to determine the full extent of the damage to the infrastructure and the equipment housed within the facility.

The General Staff highlighted that the 123th plant specializes in the repair, upgrade, and maintenance of military transport aircraft as well as A-50s. A key strategic feature of the site is its own runway, which permits heavy aircraft to land directly on the premises for servicing.

The A-50 aircraft plays a pivotal role in Russian air operations. As described by the General Staff, these planes act as 'flying radars' that facilitate the coordination of complex aerial attacks. For a Russian aircraft to effectively drop bombs or for missiles to reach their targets, enemy forces must perform extensive reconnaissance and track aircraft and cruise missiles from hundreds of kilometres away. The A-50s are central to executing this detection and tracking work.

The financial and operational value of these aircraft is substantial. The General Staff estimates that a single A-50 costs approximately US$350 million. Furthermore, officials noted that Russia currently possesses only a limited number of operational A-50s, making each one a high-value asset for the Russian air force.

The strike on the repair plant is designed to prolong the time required for aircraft to be fixed and to complicate the process of returning both military transport and special-purpose planes to active service. By targeting the maintenance infrastructure, Ukraine aims to reduce the overall availability of Russian air power.

This is not the first time this specific plant has been targeted. In March 2026, Ukrainian forces conducted a similar strike on the facility. At that time, the General Staff reported that the attack damaged an A-50 that was undergoing maintenance and potentially awaiting an upgrade.

Recent weeks have seen a pattern of Ukrainian attacks on Russian aviation assets. On October 29, forces used a Neptune missile system to attack the Marinovka airfield in Volgograd Oblast, resulting in the destruction of two Russian Su-34 fighter-bombers. Additionally, on October 15, a strike on the Borisoglebsk airfield in Voronezh Oblast damaged six more aircraft of the same type.

These operations underscore a broader strategy to degrade Russia's air capabilities by targeting both the aircraft in the air and the ground infrastructure responsible for keeping them operational.