'Resistance inside Russia is growing' — Su-27UB jet set alight in Krasnodar Krai, Ukraine's HUR claims
A Russian Su-27UB fighter jet caught fire at the Armavir airfield in Russia's Krasnodar Krai, Ukraine's military intelligence agency (HUR) reported on July 26, hinting it was an act of Russian sabotage.
"Resistance to the Kremlin regime inside Russia is growing," HUR said in a statement.
The agency released video footage apparently showing the incident from a first-person perspective. The clip suggests that a Molotov cocktail or similar incendiary device was used to ignite the aircraft, which burst into flames shortly after.
The targeted airfield, located in Armavir, hosts aircraft used to train cadets of the Krasnodar Aviation School. HUR cited local residents who said communication networks near the base were down following the incident.
The Kyiv Independent could not verify HUR's claims.
The Su‑27UB is a twin-seat, combat-capable trainer variant of Russia's Su‑27 fighter. While designed for training, the aircraft is fully operational in combat and serves as a platform for developing the Su‑30 series.
Krasnodar Krai, situated just east of occupied Crimea and separated by the Kerch Strait, has become an increasingly frequent target of Ukrainian drone strikes. The region's military infrastructure is critical for Russia's air operations in the south and over the Black Sea.
On July 7, Ukrainian long-range drones struck the Ilsky oil refinery in Russia's Krasnodar Krai, hitting one of the facility's technological workshops.
