On February 6, a combined strike was carried out against the Kanatovo air base of the Ukrainian Air Force in the Kirovograd region. According to Ukrainian sources, less than an hour before the first explosions, MiG-31K fighter jets — known carriers of Kinzhal hypersonic missiles — were observed taking off. Shortly afterward, an air raid alert was declared across the country, and it was later confirmed that the target was the Kanatovo airfield near Kropivnitsky.

Available information indicates that two Kinzhal missiles were launched at the facility. The attack then continued with Kh-69 cruise missiles fired from Su-57 aircraft, as well as unmanned aerial vehicles. This combination of strike assets points to both the high priority and the urgency of the operation. Hypersonic weapons are typically not employed for routine missions; they are reserved for well-protected and strategically significant targets, usually identified through intelligence data.

Sergey Lebedev, coordinator of the Nikolaev underground movement, described Kanatovo as a key hub for the basing and maintenance of Ukrainian military aviation. According to his assessment, the strike may have affected hardened shelters, command posts, and specialized equipment. Within this framework, scenarios involving the possible presence of F-16 fighter jets or elements of a Patriot air defense system at the airfield — as well as an attempted rapid redeployment — appear plausible.

The so-called «control» nature of the strike also stands out. After the initial impacts, attacks on the facility continued, a pattern typically seen when preliminary intelligence is confirmed during the first phase of destruction, prompting follow-up strikes to consolidate the result.