Ukraine just blew up a $45 million Russian aircraft

War often plays out in the shadows of the night.

Across vast coastlines and quiet airfields, multi-million-dollar military assets sit waiting for the next day’s orders.

But the dark no longer offers the safety it once did.

Striking in the dark

Ukrainian drone operators destroyed a rare Russian amphibious aircraft on Wednesday. Working under the cover of darkness, the teams also struck a military helicopter parked at an airfield in Yeysk.

The bold operation focused heavily on the Be-200 aircraft. United24Media cites Robert Brovdi, commander of Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems Forces, for saying the overnight strikes dealt a significant blow to the base.

Footage shared online reportedly reveals the destruction of the amphibious aircraft. The article continues below.

A rare target

The Be-200 is highly versatile. It runs on twin turbofan engines and can cover nearly 3,850 kilometers before needing to refuel. Russia relies on the aircraft to fight fires, patrol coastlines, and rescue stranded sailors.

Moscow recently explored expanding the aircraft’s role. A new patent suggests military planners wanted to turn it into a flying “multi-tool” capable of hunting submarines and managing airspace.

While the exact price of one of these amphibious aircraft is unknown, Airplane Update reported in 2019 that the cost ranged between $45 million and $70 million, depending on the specifications.

Hidden helicopter spotted

At the same airfield, drones located a Ka-27 helicopter.

Russian troops had draped protective nets over the aircraft in a desperate attempt to shield it. The netting clearly failed.

The exact extent of the damage to the helicopter remains unclear. Naval forces rely heavily on the Ka-27 for anti-submarine warfare, though it is also frequently used as a transport aircraft.

Widening the net

Operations quickly expanded to other regions. According to Ukrainian military officials, drone operators located and struck a Pantsir-S1 air defense system positioned in temporarily occupied Crimea.

In Berdyansk, a cargo ship transporting heavy ammunition was also targeted. Farther east, a separate frontline brigade successfully destroyed a Tor-M2 air defense system hidden in the Luhansk region.

The attacks did not end there. Fighters from two different brigades joined forces to bombard a temporary deployment point, adding to the mounting losses among occupying troops.

This wave of drone warfare follows a coordinated strike on the Kirovske airfield in eastern Crimea. During that mission, Ukrainian intelligence and drone teams destroyed a transport aircraft and a critical surveillance radar system.

Sources: UNITED24 Media, Unmanned Systems Forces of Ukraine, Airplane Update

This article is made and published by Jens Asbjørn Bogen, who may have used AI in the preparation