June 11th 2024.
Ukraine made a bold claim that its forces had successfully targeted a state-of-the-art Russian warplane at an air base located nearly 600km away from the front lines. The satellite photos shared by Kyiv's main military intelligence service depicted the aftermath of the attack, providing evidence to support their assertion.
If the reports are accurate, this would be Ukraine's first known strike on a twin-engine Su-57 stealth jet, which is widely regarded as Moscow's most advanced fighter plane. The photos showed black soot marks and small craters on the concrete strip surrounding the parked aircraft, indicating the severity of the attack.
According to the Main Intelligence Directorate of Ukraine's Ministry of Defence, the strike occurred last Saturday at the Akhtubinsk base in southern Russia. This base is located approximately 589km away from the front line, making it a significant target for Ukraine's military. The Ukrainian agency stated that the targeted plane was one of the few Su-57s in Moscow's arsenal, which has a capability of carrying stealth missiles over long distances.
Meanwhile, Russian reports have revealed that Moscow's air force received "more than 10" new Su-57s last year and has placed an order for a total of 76 to be delivered by 2028. However, the Ukrainian strike may have damaged two of these jets and caused harm to Russian personnel, according to Andriy Yusov, a spokesman for Ukraine's military intelligence. However, he did not provide any evidence to support these claims.
Ilya Yevlash, a spokesman for Ukraine's air force, previously stated in April that Moscow was attempting to keep its Su-57 fleet at a safe distance from Ukrainian firepower. This strike marks another significant move by Ukraine, as the United States and Germany recently authorized them to target specific locations in Russia using long-range weapons. These weapons have already been used by Ukraine to strike inside Russia, following President Joe Biden's approval to defend Kharkiv, the country's second-largest city.
The distance between the airstrip and Ukraine, as well as unofficial comments from Russia, suggest that Ukrainian-made drones were used in the attack. Since the full-scale invasion by Moscow over two years ago, Ukraine has increased its production of domestic drones and utilized them to strike deep inside Russian territory. In January, drones were used to hit a gas terminal near St Petersburg, which is over 1000km north of the border.
The Su-57 fleet has been mostly absent from the skies over Ukraine, with Russia instead using them to fire long-range missiles across the border. According to an intelligence briefing by the UK Ministry of Defence last year, Russia is likely trying to avoid damage to their reputation, reduced export prospects, and the compromise of sensitive technology that would occur from losing any Su-57 jets in enemy territory.
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