Key Points
- A Ukrainian lengthy‑vary drone struck a Russian MiG‑29 at Kacha airfield in occupied Crimea, in line with Militarnyi.
- Ukraine’s GUR “Prymari” unit additionally focused an Irtysh radar complicated close to Simferopol throughout the identical operation.
Ukraine’s intelligence service has carried out one other assault in opposition to Russian army aviation in occupied Crimea, focusing on a MiG‑29 fighter jet and a radar set up throughout an in a single day operation.
According to the Ukrainian protection outlet Militarnyi, an armed Ukrainian drone struck a MiG‑29 stationed on the Kacha airfield close to Sevastopol.
The operation was carried out by the “Prymari,” a particular‑objective unit of the Main Directorate of Intelligence of Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense, often known as GUR. The plane, manufactured by Mikoyan and operated by Russian forces in Crimea, was parked on the apron on the time of the strike, the report stated.
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In the identical nighttime operation, the “Prymari” (Ghosts) additionally focused an “Irtysh” airfield radar complicated close to Russian‑occupied Simferopol. The strike broken gear used to assist native air-defense and flight‑management operations.
In a press release quoted by Militarnyi, GUR stated: “Special items of the GUR proceed to systematically weaken the air‑protection system of the occupiers over the briefly occupied peninsula, destroying radars, anti‑plane methods, and now—fighter aviation.”
Ukrainian forces have beforehand struck Russian fighter jets in Crimea. In May 2024, a U.S.‑made ATACMS missile strike hit Belbek airfield, damaging or destroying MiG‑31, Su‑27, and MiG‑29 plane.
In 2025, Ukraine has more and more relied on lengthy‑vary assault drones to penetrate Russian air defenses in Crimea and strike excessive‑worth army targets. These methods—constructed domestically and managed by way of satellite tv for pc or encrypted lengthy‑vary hyperlinks—have enabled Ukraine to achieve airbases, command posts, and air‑protection nodes deeper inside occupied territory.
The newest operation displays a sample during which Ukrainian intelligence items concentrate on degrading Russian radar protection, disrupting command‑and‑management structure, and decreasing the provision of fight plane. By focusing on each the MiG‑29 and the Irtysh radar complicated in the identical evening, Ukrainian operators aimed toward diminishing Russia’s skill to detect, monitor, and reply to additional strikes.
Ukrainian officers say these assaults are a part of an ongoing effort to complicate Russia’s air operations over Crimea, assist future Ukrainian strikes, and cut back the variety of Russian sorties launched from the peninsula. While Russia has strengthened air‑protection batteries round Sevastopol, Yevpatoria, and Dzhankoi, latest Ukrainian drone assaults exhibit that Ukrainian forces can nonetheless attain hardened websites.
The MiG‑29, a twin‑engine fighter first launched within the Soviet period, stays a part of Russia’s air fleet for air‑protection and patrol missions over Crimea. Its loss reduces the plane accessible for fast‑response alerts—one of many missions key to defending Russian positions on the peninsula.
