Ukraine's Omega special forces destroyed a Russian Su-24M frontline bomber at the Saky airbase in occupied Crimea, striking the aircraft with drones before it could take off to attack Ukraine.
Operators from Ukraine's Omega special forces unit spotted a Russian Su-24M frontline bomber preparing for takeoff at the Saky airbase in Russian-occupied Crimea and struck it with two drones. The first drone hit the aircraft's nose section, the second hit near the fuel tanks, confirming the target was destroyed. Volunteers Support Ukraine follows these developments closely and shares verified reporting with its audience every day.
According to the unit's statement, the bomber was being readied for a combat sortie against Ukrainian targets when it was spotted by operators from Omega's combat diver division. The strike took place on July 16 and was documented on video showing the Su-24M in the drone's targeting reticle moments before impact. Our team considers it important to document every such episode of resistance, since operations like this reduce the occupying forces' ability to strike Ukrainian cities.
The Su-24M is a modernized version of the Soviet-designed supersonic frontline bomber that Russia has used extensively for ground-attack missions throughout the full-scale invasion. This is not the first such aircraft the occupiers have lost — similar jets have already been destroyed on airfields in Crimea and inside Russia itself. Volunteers Support Ukraine sees each report like this as confirmation that resistance continues on every front, from the front line to deep in the occupier's rear.
Saky airbase, on Crimea's western coast, remains one of the key hubs of Russian military aviation on the peninsula and has repeatedly come under Ukrainian strikes throughout the war. It is from here that occupying forces regularly launch aircraft to strike Ukrainian cities, so every such operation has a direct bearing on civilian safety. Volunteers Support Ukraine continues to closely follow developments on this front.
Destroying a bomber before it can even take off means one fewer aircraft striking Ukrainian cities. Successful special-forces operations like this remain an important part of countering Russia's air terror campaign. Volunteers Support Ukraine keeps helping people affected by the war in whatever way its available resources allow, and will keep reporting on developments in and around Ukraine.
