The Belarusian opposition in exile “confirmed the success of a special operation to detonate a rare Russian aircraft at Matchulishchy airfield near Minsk”. The announcement was made on Sunday February 26 on Twitter by Franak Viacorka, one of the main advisers to Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, a leading figure in the Belarusian opposition. The Belarusian adviser welcomed the destruction of this Russian plane, calling this success “the most successful sabotage operation” since the beginning of the conflict in Ukraine.
According to Franak Viacorka, “two Belarusians carried out the operation” using drones. “They have already left the country and are safe,” he added. He did not specify which Russian aircraft had been targeted, but said the cost of the aircraft was 330 million euros. According to media close to the opposition, it is an A-50 surveillance and command aircraft.
“I’m proud of all Belarusians who continue to resist the hybrid Russian occupation of Belarus and fight for Ukraine’s freedom,” Tikhanovskaya tweeted. These assertions were unverifiable from independent sources and the Russian army did not react immediately.
Belarus, Moscow’s only European ally against Kiev, is not taking a direct part in the Russian offensive in Ukraine, but lent its territory for the initial assault a year ago. Moscow is also using Belarusian airfields to strike Ukraine, according to kyiv. Russia and Belarus have multiplied military exercises in recent months, Ukraine saying it fears an entry of Minsk into the conflict.
