Ukraine just blew up a $45 million Russian aircraft

 War often plays out in the shadows of the night.

Across vast coastlines and quiet airfields, multi-million-dollar military assets sit waiting for the next day’s orders.

But the dark no longer offers the safety it once did.

Striking in the dark

Ukrainian drone operators destroyed a rare Russian amphibious aircraft on Wednesday. Working under the cover of darkness, the teams also struck a military helicopter parked at an airfield in Yeysk.

The bold operation focused heavily on the Be-200 aircraft. United24Media cites Robert Brovdi, commander of Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems Forces, for saying the overnight strikes dealt a significant blow to the base.

Footage shared online reportedly reveals the destruction of the amphibious aircraft. The article continues below.

A rare target

The Be-200 is highly versatile. It runs on twin turbofan engines and can cover nearly 3,850 kilometers before needing to refuel. Russia relies on the aircraft to fight fires, patrol coastlines, and rescue stranded sailors.

Moscow recently explored expanding the aircraft’s role. A new patent suggests military planners wanted to turn it into a flying “multi-tool” capable of hunting submarines and managing airspace.

While the exact price of one of these amphibious aircraft is unknown, Airplane Update reported in 2019 that the cost ranged between $45 million and $70 million, depending on the specifications.