Ukrainian partisans set ablaze 2 Russian Su-30 fighter jets in Lipetsk Oblast, HUR says
Ukrainian partisans set ablaze two Russian Su-30 fighter jets during an operation on the night of Dec. 21 in Russia's Lipetsk Oblast, Ukrainian military intelligence (HUR) said on Dec. 22.
The attack targeted an airfield near the city of Lipetsk, about 340 kilometers (210 miles) from the Ukrainian border, and caused two military aircraft to catch fire.
HUR originally reported an Su-30 and an Su-27 had been damaged in the attack, but later clarified it was two Su-30s.
The operation succeeded after a careful study of patrol routes and guard schedules, which enabled the operative to slip into the military facility, attack Russian fighter jets in the hangar, and exit the airfield undetected.
Planning for the operation took two weeks, and it was carried out by a "representative of the resistance movement" against the Russian government, according to HUR.
HUR estimated the value of the disabled aircraft to be up to $100 million.
The Su-27 is a Russian twin-engine fighter jet designed for air superiority, while the Su-30 is a two-seat, multirole variant with longer range and upgraded avionics for air-to-air and air-to-ground missions.
Russia uses these fighter jets over Ukraine mainly for air patrols, intercepting Ukrainian aircraft, and supporting deadly strikes against the neighboring country.
Ukraine routinely carries out operations in Russian-occupied territories and inside Russia to weaken Russian military capabilities.
Ukrainian drones struck two Russian Su-27 fighter jets on Dec. 20 at the Belbek military airfield in Russian-occupied Crimea.
The strike adds to Ukraine's toll on Russian air power, with a total of 432 aircraft reportedly destroyed since the full-scale invasion began in 2022, according to Ukraine's General Staff.
