Ukrainian drones destroy planes at Russian airfield

KYIV, Aug 30 (Reuters): Ukrainian drones struck targets in at least six regions deep within Russia on Wednesday, including an airfield where they destroyed military transport planes, in one of the broadest volleys yet of Kyiv's campaign to turn the tables on Moscow.

Russian officials described attacks on targets in the Pskov, Bryansk, Kaluga, Orlov, Ryazan and Moscow regions.

In Pskov, in northern Russia more than 600 km (400 miles) from Ukraine, a huge fire erupted at a military airfield. Tass news agency reported at least four giant Il-76 transport planes were damaged, two of which had "burst into flames".

The attacks came as authorities in Kyiv reported at least two people killed in what they described as the heaviest Russian air strikes on the Ukrainian capital for months.

Footage published by Pskov's governor on Telegram showed a huge fire with the sounds of sirens and an explosion. Other video posted online showed anti-aircraft systems in action around the city, which is just 32 km (20 miles) east of Russia's border with NATO-member Estonia.

Moscow claimed to have thwarted all the attacks on Russia. Russia typically describes all Ukrainian drone strikes as unsuccessful, regardless of the damage on the ground.

There was no comment from Kyiv, which generally withholds comment on specific strikes on territory inside Russia but says it has a right to hit military targets in self defence.

Ukraine's Western allies generally forbid Kyiv from using weapons they supply to attack Russia but say Kyiv has a right to carry out such strikes with its own weapons.

Russia said Ukrainian drones had tried to attack a TV tower over the Bryansk region. No casualties were reported. Moscow also said its aircraft had destroyed four Ukrainian fast-attack boats carrying up to 50 paratroopers on the Black Sea. Reuters could not independently confirm this.