Ukrainian intelligence reports destruction of An-72 Aircraft at airbase in Moscow Oblast

A unit of a Russian An-72 military transport plane blew up at the Ostafyevo airfield in Moscow Oblast, Ukraine's military intelligence (HUR) reported on 20 December.

The Ukrainian military has increasingly focused on striking Russian air assets as a strategic move to diminish Russia's aerial capabilities since the onset of the full-scale invasion in February 2022.

The An-72 is a Soviet transport aircraft, developed by Antonov, Ukraine's largest aircraft manufacturing company. The plane is used mainly by the military. The Ostafyevo airfield is located over 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) from Ukraine's border.

The incident occurred a week ago, on 12 December, at the Ostafyevo airfield in Moscow Oblast - the main power unit of an An-72 military transport aircraft belonging to the Russia's navy, according to the Ukraine's Intelligence.

The HUR emphasized that the approximate cost of such an aircraft is about $4.5 million.

"There will be just retribution for every war crime committed against the Ukrainian people," the intelligence agency reported.

Ukrainian forces successfully destroyed several helicopters during key operations throughout 2022 and 2023.

On 11 November 2024, HUR claimed responsibility for setting a Mi-24 attack helicopter ablaze at an airbase in Moscow Oblast.

On 27 July 2024, Ukrainian drones attacked the Olenya airfield in Russia's Murmansk Oblast, claiming to have destroyed three Russian Army helicopters.

Read also:

• Russia attacks Kyiv with 8 missiles, causing casualties, fires, damage to civilian infrastructure
• HUR operation destroys Russian truck with drones in Kursk Oblast
• Ukraine’s “Sea Baby” marine drones, armed with heavy-caliber machine guns, damage Russian helicopters near Crimea