Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence Directorate (GUR) released footage confirming a long-range drone strike on a Russian military airbase in Saky, located in occupied Crimea.
The attack targeted advanced radar systems, air defense assets, and a Russian Su-30 fighter jet.
According to the GUR, the operation was carried out using Ukrainian long-range UJ-26 “Bober” drones. The released video shows direct hits on multiple high-value targets, including a Pantsir-S1 air defense system, several radar installations, and a parked Su-30SM multirole fighter.
The GUR stated that among the damaged or destroyed systems were the Nioby-SV radar, the Pechora-3 coastal radar station, and the Protivnik-GE air surveillance radar. The footage also appears to capture the moment a Pantsir-S1 system was struck, along with its operational crew.
The airbase at Saky has previously served as a hub for Russian air operations over southern Ukraine and the Black Sea. The loss of radar coverage and an operational combat aircraft could reduce the Russian military’s early warning and air defense capabilities in the region, at least temporarily.
Ukraine has increasingly relied on its domestically developed drone fleet to strike deep into occupied territory and beyond, targeting logistics, radar, and command assets. The use of the UJ-26 “Bober” — a long-range drone — has been reported in multiple high-profile strikes since late 2023.
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