Ukrainian military intelligence stated that two Russian fighter aircraft were destroyed in a sabotage operation conducted on the night of 20 December at a military airfield near the Russian city of Lipetsk. The authorities in Kyiv announced that the operation was carried out by a resistance movement operating inside Russia.
In a statement by the Main Intelligence Directorate (GUR) of Ukraine’s Ministry of Defence, it was noted that as a result of a fire that broke out during the incident, two high-value combat aircraft — an Su-27 and an Su-30 — were rendered unusable.
“The Operation Was Carried Out by a Resistance Movement”
In its statement, the GUR emphasised that the sabotage was directly carried out by one of the anti-regime resistance elements in Russia, using the following wording:
“As a result of an operation conducted by a representative of the resistance movement against the criminal Russian regime, carried out by the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine, the aggressor’s two military aircraft were rendered inoperable.”
Ukrainian intelligence assessed the total material value of the two damaged aircraft at up to USD 100 million.
Tail Numbers Disclosed
According to intelligence sources, the aircraft damaged in the sabotage were identified as an Su-27 with tail number “12” and an Su-30 with tail number “82”. The statement noted that both aircraft were disabled by a fire resulting from a careful and well-planned operation.
The GUR stated: “The Su-27 and Su-30 with tail numbers ‘12’ and ‘82’ were successfully set ablaze thanks to meticulous preparation, composure and professionalism.”
Operation Planning Took Two Weeks
Ukrainian intelligence reported that the operation targeting the military airfield near Lipetsk was carried out after a two-week planning process. Officials also shared additional information regarding the operational status of the aircraft.
According to open-source data, the Su-27 was believed to be an aircraft allocated for exhibition or promotional purposes, possibly intended for museum use, while the Su-30 was described as an active-duty fighter jet used in combat and training flights.
No Official Statement from Russia
The Russian Ministry of Defence did not issue any public statement regarding the incident, and no independent confirmation from Moscow was provided concerning the cause of the fire or the extent of the damage. Regional Russian authorities also shared no information about the cause of the fire.
The Lipetsk region is known as one of Russia’s most important military aviation centres for tactical aviation, combat aircraft testing and pilot training. According to open sources, the base plays a critical role in the training and operational activities of the Russian Air Force.
