Ukrainian intelligence destroys Russian MiG-29 at Crimea's Belbek airbase
Photo: Ukrainian military intelligence destroys Russian MiG-29 at Belbek airbase in Crimea (Getty Images)
A Russian MiG-29 fighter jet was destroyed during a Ukrainian military intelligence drone strike on the Belbek airbase in temporarily occupied Crimea on the night of June 26, according to the Main Intelligence Directorate of Ukraine's Defense Ministry (HUR).
"On the night of June 25-26, 2026, operators from the HUR Department of Unmanned Systems struck the Belbek airbase in temporarily occupied Crimea. As a result of the operation, a Russian MiG-29 fighter jet was destroyed," the statement said.
With a single strike, HUR special forces also destroyed an airfield launch unit that was servicing a Russian combat aircraft at the moment it was hit.
Russia's estimated losses from the attack amount to tens of millions of dollars.
Ukrainian intelligence destroys Russian MiG-29 at Crimea's Belbek airbase pic.twitter.com/zr0qHQvL4i
— RBC-Ukraine (@NewsUkraineRBC) July 4, 2026
Russian fighter jets destroyed
As previously reported, on the night of July 1, drones operated by the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) struck hangars housing Russian fighter jets at the Saky military airbase in occupied Crimea.
Five successful drone strikes on hangars storing military aircraft have been confirmed.
According to preliminary information, two of the hangars contained Su-30 and Su-30SM fighter jets at the time of the attack.
A fire broke out in the hangar housing a Su-30SM after the strike, indicating the target was successfully hit.
On July 3, SBU drones struck fighter jets at the Saky airbase for the second time in a week and also targeted hangars at the Hvardiiske airbase in occupied Crimea.
At the Saky airbase, seven aircraft hangars were hit. They housed Su-30SM, Su-30, and Su-24 fighter jets and frontline bombers.
According to preliminary information, at least seven aircraft were destroyed or damaged.
