Ukraine’s military intelligence agency has reported the destruction of a Russian Kamov Ka-32 helicopter at the Ostafyevo airfield on the outskirts of Moscow, in what could be seen as a significant escalation of Kyiv’s ability to strike at targets deep within Russian territory.
The incident, which reportedly took place overnight on April 26, was confirmed by an intelligence source to the Kyiv Independent, who informed that the helicopter was destroyed as a result of a HUR operation. The Ukrainian forces are known to conduct drone strikes and sabotage acts on Russian soil, often targeting military assets, oil refineries, and industrial facilities, albeit Kyiv generally refrains from officially commenting on such attacks within Russia.
The Ka-32 is a multirole helicopter with a wide range of uses including passenger and cargo transport, search and rescue operations, construction activities, and emergency evacuations. According to the report from Ukraine’s military intelligence, the helicopter was utilized by Russia to support the operations of the Russian invading army and the Moscow aviation center.
The Ostafyevo airfield, where the incident occurred, is part of the Russian Defense Ministry’s assets and is operated in conjunction with Gazpromavia, a subsidiary of Russia’s state-run energy giant Gazprom. Both organizations are currently under U.S. sanctions due to Moscow’s ongoing military aggression against Ukraine. The intelligence report included a video showing a fire which purportedly engulfed the aircraft, leading to its destruction.
This operation is part of a series of strikes that Ukraine has intensified against Russian military and industrial targets in recent weeks. There have been other notable operations, such as the attacks on the Yeysk, Engels-2, and Kursk airfields early in April, which supposedly led to the loss of seven Russian military aircraft at the Yeysk airbase in Russia’s Krasnodar Krai, as per sources from Ukraine’s military intelligence. Additionally, an attack against the Russian Morozovsk airbase reportedly destroyed six military aircraft and damaged another eight, while approximately 20 Russian soldiers were either killed or wounded.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, referencing attacks on Russian soil, has previously defended Ukraine’s right to launch operations against military targets in Russia, stating that the war is inevitably returning to Russian territory, its symbolic centers, and military bases.
The targeted destruction of the Ka-32 helicopter aligns with Ukraine’s strategic focus on degrading Russian military capabilities. This year, Kyiv claims to have destroyed several Russian aircraft, including Su-34 fighter-bombers and at least one A-50 airborne early warning and control plane, contributing to a claimed total of 347 Russian aircraft shot down since the conflict began in February 2022.
Relevant articles:
– Source: Ukraine destroys Russian Ka-32 helicopter at Moscow airfield, kyivindependent.com, 04/27/2024
– Ukraine Destroys Russian Ka-32 Helicopter in Moscow: Video, Newsweek, Fri, 26 Apr 2024 11:59:06 GMT
– Ukrainian intelligence destroys Russian military Ka-32 helicopter in Moscow – video, Ukrainska Pravda, Fri, 26 Apr 2024 11:40:47 GMT
– Kiev intelligence destroyed a Russian military helicopter at Moscow airport, Agenzia Nova, Fri, 26 Apr 2024 12:40:47 GMT