Belarusian opposition claims to have destroyed a Russian plane at an airfield near Minsk

The Belarusian opposition in exile claimed on Sunday February 26 that a Russian plane had been destroyed at an airfield near Minsk. “Partisans (…) confirmed the success of a special operation to blow up a rare Russian aircraft at Matchulishchy airfield”said on Twitter Franak Viacorka, one of the main advisers to the leader of the opposition, Svetlana Tikhanovskaïa.

According to him, “two Belarusians carried out the operation” using drones. “They have already left the country and are safe”, he added. He did not detail which Russian plane had been targeted but assured that the cost of the device amounted to 330 million euros. Media close to the opposition reported that it was an A-50 surveillance and command aircraft. These assertions cannot be independently verified and the Russian army did not react immediately.

“I am proud of all Belarusians who continue to resist the hybrid Russian occupation of Belarus and to fight for the freedom of Ukraine”, said Svetlana Tikhanovskaya on Twitter. Belarus, Moscow’s only European ally, is not taking a direct part in the Russian offensive but let Russian troops pass through its territory for the initial assault in February 2022. Ukraine also accuses Moscow of using airfields Belarusians to carry out its airstrikes.