KYIV: Ukraine on Monday said that its forces had destroyed a Russian military transport plane stationed at an airfield deep inside Russian territory over the weekend, the latest Ukrainian forces claim of an attack behind Moscow’s defensive lines.
The strike, targeting a Tu-134 aircraft, was confirmed by Ukraine’s military intelligence agency.
The Defence Intelligence of Ukraine (GUR) said that the Soviet-era plane, primarily used to transport high-ranking officials of Russia’s defence ministry, was destroyed overnight between Saturday and Sunday at an airfield located in the Orenburg region.
This area lies approximately 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) from Ukraine’s border, demonstrating Kyiv’s growing capacity to strike far-reaching targets inside Russian territory.
The intelligence agency posted footage on social media, showing a large blaze inside what it claimed was the targeted aircraft. The images were purported to depict the aftermath of an arson attack, though the agency did not provide details on the method or weapon used in the strike.
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“This is another successful attack on Russian military logistics,” the Ukrainian defence ministry stated. However, Moscow has not issued an official response to the claims regarding the destroyed aircraft.
Ukraine has intensified its operations within Russian borders in recent months, hitting strategic military sites and energy infrastructure in a bid to disrupt Russian supply chains and military logistics.
Since launching its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Moscow has seen increasing acts of sabotage on its military installations, railways, and other critical infrastructure.
