Ukrainian drones hit 2 Russian Su-27 jets in Crimea, intelligence agency says
Ukrainian long-range drones have struck two Russian Su-27 fighter jets at the Belbek military airfield in Russian-occupied Crimea, the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) said on Dec. 20.
The drones are operated by the SBU's Special Operations Center "A" (Alpha), according to the agency.
Belbek is a Russian military airfield in occupied Crimea located near Sevastopol. It has been used by Russian forces as a key hub for deploying fighter aircraft and positioning air defense assets on the peninsula.
"Long-range drones of the SBU's Alpha Special Operations Center hit two Su-27 aircraft at the Russian military airfield in Belbek, temporarily occupied Crimea. One of the planes was on a taxiway with a full combat load and ready for a combat sortie — it was destroyed," the SBU wrote on Telegram.
The SBU said the combined cost of the two aircraft is estimated at around $70 million. It also said that the airfield's control tower was struck, which "may complicate the organization and control of flights at the airfield."
"This is already the second successful SBU attack on the Belbek airfield in recent days. On Dec. 18, our drones struck Russian equipment worth hundreds of millions of dollars — including two Nebo-SVU radars, a 92N6 radar of the S-400 Triumph system, a Pantsir-S2 air defense system, and a MiG-31 aircraft with a full combat load," the agency added.
Strikes on key Russian airfields and the destruction of aircraft and air defense systems in occupied Crimea "significantly reduce the enemy's military potential in the region," the agency said.
"This systematic work will continue," the SBU said.
