August M
Ukraine’s military intelligence says it has carried out a successful sabotage operation deep inside western Russia, destroying combat aircraft at a strategic military base. The claim comes as diplomatic activity around a possible path to talks on ending the war continues to gather momentum.
Russian authorities have not publicly commented on the incident.
Airfield attack
According to WP Wiadomości, Ukraine’s military intelligence agency (HUR) reported on Monday that two Russian fighter jets were destroyed during a sabotage attack on the Lipetsk-2 military airfield in Russia’s Lipetsk region.
The base hosts a major Russian training centre. HUR said operatives entered the airfield and set fire to two aircraft, which were armed with short-range R-73 missiles.
In a statement, Ukrainian intelligence said the destroyed jets were Su-27 and Su-30 fighters. Ukrainian defence outlet Military reported that the aircraft were likely Su-30SM models, a more modern variant with enhanced combat capabilities.
Video evidence
The Ukrainian Ministry of Defense released footage on Telegram showing individuals moving inside the secured perimeter of the Lipetsk-2 airfield and igniting the aircraft.
HUR said the presence of short-range missiles suggested the planes may have been prepared to counter Ukrainian long-range drone operations.
The agency described the incident as a sabotage operation rather than a missile or drone strike, highlighting Ukraine’s continued focus on disrupting Russian military infrastructure far from the front lines.
Diplomatic backdrop
The reported attack comes as discussions about possible negotiations continue. Over the weekend, Russian diplomats and representatives of US President Donald Trump’s administration held another round of talks in Miami.
At the same time, US officials met with a Ukrainian delegation. Rustem Umerov, head of Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council, said the discussions were “productive and constructive”.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky later said Washington had proposed organising trilateral talks involving the United States, Ukraine and Russia. “America is now proposing a trilateral meeting of advisers,” Zelensky told journalists, reports WP Wiadomości.
Cautious optimism
Zelensky said the meeting would involve security advisers from all three countries. While he expressed uncertainty over whether the talks would deliver breakthroughs, he noted that previous meetings in Turkey had led to the return of prisoners of war and civilians.
“Such meetings are worth holding,” he said, according to Interfax-Ukraine.
Sources: WP Wiadomości, Ukrainian Military Intelligence, Interfax-Ukraine
