Saboteurs blow up two planes, helicopter near Moscow – Ukrainian intel

Russia’s investigative committee is conducting an inquiry into a sabotage attack, following which two aircraft and a helicopter were seriously damaged at the Moscow region’s Chkalovsky air base on September 18, 2023.

The relevant statement was made by the Main Intelligence Directorate at the Ukrainian Defense Ministry, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

According to the Ukrainian intelligence, the sabotage attack caused hysteria among the Russian high-rank military officials, as the Chkalovsky air base is home to government aircraft, the so-called Doomsday planes, and special aircraft (spy planes).

“At the heavily guarded air base, unidentified individuals planted explosives and blew up two aircraft, An-148 and Il-20 (both of them belonging to the 354th special purpose aviation regiment), and one Mi-28H helicopter, which used to actively shoot down combat drones over the Moscow region,” the report states.

The Ukrainian intelligence mentioned that the damage caused to aircraft would prevent them from being repaired any time soon. In particular, the explosion hit the helicopter’s tail.

Another An-148 aircraft, which had been next to other planes in the parking lot, received minor damage.

Now, Russian punitive agencies are looking for saboteurs and preventing the mass media outlets from spreading information about the incident, the Main Intelligence Directorate added.