Ukraine’s Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) has carried out a second strike in recent days against Russia’s Belbek air base in occupied Crimea, destroying Russian military aircraft and damaging critical airfield infrastructure, according to the SBU press service.
In a statement, the SBU said its unmanned systems hit the Belbek facility, resulting in the destruction of two Russian Su-27 fighter jets. One of the aircraft was on a taxiway at the time of the strike, fully armed and prepared for a combat sortie.
“One of the aircraft was on the taxiway with a full combat load and was ready for a combat flight. It was destroyed,” the SBU said in a statement.
According to the agency, the estimated combined value of the two destroyed aircraft is about $70 million.
The SBU also confirmed damage to the air traffic control system at Belbek, a strike that could complicate flight coordination and operational control at the base. Ukrainian officials say the loss of command-and-control infrastructure further degrades Russia’s ability to sustain air operations from the facility.
As noted by the SBU, this was the second successful strike on Belbek air base within a matter of days, underscoring what Ukrainian officials describe as a sustained campaign to reduce Russia’s airpower and air defense capabilities in occupied Crimea.
The latest strike follows an earlier attack carried out on December 18, when SBU-operated drones hit a range of high-value Russian military assets at the same airfield. According to the agency, that operation resulted in damage to Russian equipment worth hundreds of millions of dollars.
During that earlier strike, Ukrainian drones reportedly destroyed two “Nebo-SVU” radar systems, a 92N6 radar associated with the S-400 “Triumf” air defense system, a Pantsir-S2 air defense system, and a MiG-31 interceptor aircraft that was also armed and ready for combat operations.
For example, the SBU said the MiG-31 was carrying a full combat load at the time it was struck, further amplifying the operational impact of the attack.
Belbek air base has long been one of Russia’s key military aviation hubs in Crimea, supporting fighter, interceptor, and air defense operations across the Black Sea region. Since Russia’s occupation and annexation of Crimea in 2014, the base has been heavily fortified and integrated into Russia’s layered air defense network.
The aircraft destroyed in the latest attack, the Su-27, is a Soviet-designed fighter that remains in service with Russian forces for air defense missions. While aging, the platform continues to play a role in patrols and defensive operations over Crimea and southern Russia.