Russian channels are reporting that a Ukrainian drone struck an An-26 military transport aircraft at the Kacha airbase in occupied Crimea, an incident that allegedly caused casualties on the ground.
The information was posted by the Telegram channel “Na Predele”, which is described as being close to Russian military pilots.
The aircraft was hit on the airfield and there are reports of dead and wounded personnel. The channel stated that those affected were likely members of the crew or airbase command staff. No official Russian military statement has been released.
The reported strike coincided with a local air-raid alert. At 14:52 on the same day, a Russian monitoring channel issued a warning for the town of Kacha, located near the airbase. As noted by the monitoring channel, the alert covered the immediate area around the facility.
The Telegram channel’s post did not specify the type of Ukrainian drone involved, the nature of the damage, or whether the aircraft was stationary or preparing for departure.
The An-26 involved is a Soviet-designed military transport aircraft created by the Antonov Design Bureau on the basis of the An-24T. The aircraft first flew in 1969 and entered service in 1975. Production continued until 1986, with more than 1,400 aircraft manufactured across several variants.
The transport aircraft, operated by Russian military aviation, carries a crew of five to six and can lift up to 5.5 tons of cargo. Its maximum speed is roughly 540 km/h, with an operational range of up to 2,500 km. One of its key features is a rear loading ramp that allows forces to load light vehicles and air-drop cargo.
Oryx, an open-source analytical platform that documents equipment losses through visual evidence, has reported that Russia has already lost three An-26 aircraft destroyed or damaged during the war.
In a war where both sides routinely target airbases, a successful hit on a transport aircraft would carry tactical implications. Transport aviation plays a role in moving equipment, personnel, and supplies, and disruptions at forward bases often slow logistics chains. As noted by defense analysts, the An-26 remains a workhorse in Russia’s military supply network despite its age.
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