Ukrainian Long-Range Drones Damage Russia's Beriev A-50 AWACS Aircraft at Novgorod Repair Plant

Ukrainian drones struck a repair plant in Russia's Novgorod region on March 20, damaging a Beriev A-50 airborne early warning and control (AWACS) aircraft valued at approximately $500 million. The A-50 is Russia's primary airborne radar platform, critical for coordinating fighter aircraft and tracking Ukrainian air defenses. The strike extended Ukraine's long-range drone campaign into the Novgorod region, approximately 500 km northwest of Kyiv. Russia scrambled interceptors but was unable to prevent the strike.