Jens Asbjørn Bøgen
A single MiG-31 can cost more than $30 million, depending on equipment.
Overnight strikes between Saturday and Sunday targeted key military assets in Russian-held Crimea, according to Ukrainian officials, marking another escalation in the use of drones deep behind front lines.
Details remain limited, but Kyiv says the operation focused on weakening Russia’s naval and air capabilities in the region.
Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) said on Telegram on April 26 that its special “Alpha” unit carried out coordinated drone attacks on multiple sites in Sevastopol and the Belbek airfield.
The agency reported that three Russian naval vessels were struck: the landing ships Yamal and Filchenkov, and the intelligence ship Ivan Khurs.
It also released aerial images it said showed the Belbek facility moments before impact.
Wider targets hit
Beyond the naval assets, the SBU said infrastructure tied to Russian air defense and reconnaissance systems was damaged.
These included a radio-technical intelligence headquarters and the MR-10M1 “Mys-M1” radar installation.
The operation also reportedly hit a Black Sea Fleet training site known as “Lukomka,” along with technical facilities at Belbek.
Ukrainian officials added that a MiG-31 fighter jet stationed at the airfield was struck.
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Strategic message
Commenting on the operation, acting SBU head Yevhenii Khmara said: “Each such operation has a clear logic: we methodically destroy key elements of the enemy’s military infrastructure—fleet, aviation, reconnaissance, and air defense.
This is not only direct losses of equipment, but also the destruction of the enemy’s ability to control space, cover its forces, and plan new attacks. This work will continue until Russia stops its aggression against our state.”
Separately, Ukrainian forces reportedly carried out another drone strike in occupied Donetsk.
According to Unmanned Systems Forces commander Robert “Magyar” Brovdi, FP-2 drones hit a Russian FSB special forces command post, killing 12 officers and injuring 15.
Sources: SBU, Ukrainian officials, United24Media
