Vladimir Putin was left reeling after Ukrainian special forces launched a daring raid in Moscow that caused millions of dollars in military damage.
The attack on the Moscow airbase will send shivers through the Kremlin, as Ukraine‘s army extends its reach inside Russia.
Kyiv has regularly targeted Russia with drones, inflicting major damage on oil refineries deep inside the country’s hinterland.
But the attack on the Ostafyevo airfield was carried out by Ukrainian special forces on the ground in Russia‘s capital.
The daring raid was captured on video before being posted to social media channels by Ukraine‘s military intelligence.
Grainy images show the silhouette of a Ukrainian operative sitting inside a Ka-32 helicopter parked at the airbase.
The man appears to light a Molotov cocktail inside the cockpit before jumping out as the helicopter catches fire and explodes into a ball of flames, sending thick black plumes of smoke into the night’s sky.
In a statement released to their Telegram channel, Ukraine‘s military intelligence wrote: “This night, a Ka-32 was burned at the Ostafyevo airfield, which belongs to the Russian Ministry of Defense and is operated jointly with the Gazpromavia enterprise, which is part of Gazprom OJSC.”
They added: “The destroyed unit of aviation equipment was used by the aggressor state in the interests of the Moscow aviation centre, in particular, to support the operations of the Russian invading army.”
The helicopter costs around $15 million and can be used in a variety of roles, such as loading and unloading ships, and helping to supply troops.
It is manufactured by Kamov and can fly up to 800 km with a top speed of 260 km/h.
Ostafyevo Airport is located south of the Moscow ring road and is within striking distance of one of the capital’s major international airports Domodedevo.
Kyiv has stepped up its attacks against military and industrial targets in Russia in recent weeks.
A joint operation of military intelligence and the Armed Forces reportedly hit the Yeysk, Engels-2, and Kursk airfields on April 5.
Russia allegedly lost seven military aircraft during the drone attack on the Yeysk airbase in Krasnodar Krai in Russia.
Russia‘s Morozovsk’s airbase in the Rostov region was also targeted on the same night, where Su-34 fighter-bombers and Su-27 fighters are based.
At least six military aircraft were destroyed in the attack. Both types of aircraft cost over $35 million a piece.
Jamie Roberts
Who authorized this daring raid in Moscow? What are the potential implications of such a bold move by Ukrainian special forces?
This daring raid in Moscow was likely authorized at the highest levels of command within the Ukrainian military. The potential implications of such a bold move by Ukrainian special forces include heightened tensions between Ukraine and Russia, possible military retaliation, and further escalation of the conflict between the two nations.