5 Russian fighter jets hit by Ukraine's SBU in drone operation in occupied Crimea, one destroyed
Drones operated by Ukraine's Security Service (SBU) struck five Russian fighter jets overnight on Aug. 4 at an airfield in Saky, a city in Russian-occupied Crimea, the agency said.
Ukrainian drones, in a Special Operations Center "A" mission, destroyed a Su-30SM aircraft, damaged another, hit three Su-24s, and struck an aviation weapons depot.
The Saky airbase plays a critical role in Russia's military operations in the Black Sea, and the damage from the Ukrainian strike is considered "significant," with a single Su-30SM jet valued between $35 million and $50 million, according to the SBU.
"The successful special operation carried out by the SBU in Saky marks another step toward weakening the enemy's capacity to wage its war of aggression against Ukraine," SBU said.
The Kyiv Independent could not independently verify the claims.
Russia has not officially commented on the reported strikes.
The Su-30MS is a twin-engine, two-seat multirole fighter aircraft developed by Russia, with production beginning in the early 2010s. Meanwhile, the Su-24 is a twin-engine, all-weather supersonic strike bomber developed by the Soviet Union, with production starting in the early 1970s.
Russia deploys these fighter jets for regular attacks on Ukraine, as well as for patrols, radar surveillance, target guidance, and escorting long-range aircraft.
This is not Ukraine's first successful drone operation against Russian aircraft.
Ukraine carried out an unprecedented mass drone strike as part of the Operation Spiderweb on June 1, targeting four Russian air bases deep inside the country. During the attack, Ukrainian forces reportedly damaged 41 aircraft, using drones concealed in trucks at multiple locations across Russia.
Ukraine has also carried out several successful attacks against Russian targets in occupied Crimea and its vicinity, heavily degrading the Russian Black Sea Fleet.
Ukrainian drones have destroyed several Russian vessels, including the Caesar Kunikov landing ship, the Sergei Kotov patrol ship, the Ivanovets missile corvette, and multiple high-speed landing crafts.
