The dissident group Bypol, which brings together former members of the Belarusian security forces, claims that an A-50 was partially destroyed during an operation carried out with drones at an air base near the Belarusian capital.
It is “the most successful sabotage operation” since the start of the war, according to the Belarusian opposition. The latter claims to have partially destroyed, on Sunday February 26, a high-value Russian plane parked at the Matchoulishchy base, a dozen kilometers south of the capital, Minsk. The device has been damaged by “two homemade kamikaze drones”told franceinfo Aliaksandr Azarau, head of the Belarusian group Bypol, a dissident network founded by former members of the security forces.
The front and center parts of the aircraft were damaged, as well as the electronic components and the radar antenna. “We hope that this plane can no longer fly”declares Aliaksandr Azarau, conceding however that his men “not‘could not see the damage with their own eyes, because they were at a long distance from the aircraft”. These dissidents have been working with drones since August 2020, “but they need to learn new techniques and skills”continues the leader of the armed resistance. “They can’t buy sabotage drones online, and have to retrofit models themselves.”
The Belarusian Hayoun group, dedicated to monitoring military movements, precise (in Russian) that this device, registered RF-50608, had arrived in Belarus on January 3, and had made a dozen flights since. “If it is confirmed that this device was destroyed by Belarusian partisans, that is great news”estimates with franceinfo Anton Motolko, head of the Hayoun project and founder of the Motolko.help media. “The A-50 is an expensive aircraft and Russia only has six of them in the modernized ‘U’ version. The loss of a unit is therefore a blow for the Russian army.”
“It shows that the Belarusians are helping Ukraine to defeat the aggressor at the risk of their lives, including by carrying out these types of actions.”
Anton Motolko, Belarusian opposition journalistat franceinfo
Since the beginning of the war, Belarus has provided assistance to Russia, its ally. The two countries are increasing the number of military exercises on the territory and the Matchoulishchy base is one of the many infrastructures made available. It hosts II-76 transport planes, but especially MiG-31K fighters. These interceptors are armed with “Kinjal” hypersonic missiles, capable of traveling 2,000 kilometers in ten minutes. The slightest of their movements therefore triggers an air alert in all or part of Ukraine.
The A-50, a centerpiece of the Russian forces
The A-50s have the main mission “to scan Ukrainian territory to find targets”explains Aliaksandr Azarau, “then to provide this information to other Russian aircraft”. These devices, rare and expensive (330 million dollars), are also used to guide missiles and detect anti-aircraft defense systems. Last month, the Belarusian army had again broadcast images of the takeoff of an A-50 and a MiG-31K, from the base of Matchoulishchy.
The dissidents of the Bypol group, whose number is kept secret, are “anonymous people who fear for their lives”explain Aliaksandr Azarau. They have managed to leave the country and find themselves “safe”. At the start of the war, from February to March, they had waged a “rail war” in Belarus, under a plan dubbed “Peremoga” (“Victory”). “But nWe have decided to prepare other special operations”specifies Aliaksandr Azarau, using a Telegram bot dedicated to volunteering, to which “200,000 people subscribe”. Until finding those supporters who wanted to take action.
However, at this stage, no satellite document allows visual confirmation of these statements, and this attack could not be confirmed by an independent source. In Minsk, it is radio silence. President Alexander Lukashenko attended a security meeting on Monday morning without mentioning an incident at the airbase. The day before, the Ministry of Emergency Situations had simply declared that no explosion had been reported. As for the spokesman of the Kremlin, Dmitry Peskov, he delivered no comment.
An operation of the Ukrainian forces under cover?
“If you look at Lukashenko’s face, you will see that he is very upset”however smiles Aliaksandr Azarau. “Leaders don’t know what to tell their people, they reflect and try to find a decision to make.”
This episode, if confirmed, is not without consequences for the regime, because it would show, “once again”, that Alexander Lukashenko “note not control the situation in Belarus, despite the repression, which has been steadily worsening since 2020″comments Anton Motolko. Bypol’s statements were quickly welcomed by the Belarusian opposition in exile. In a message posted on Twitter, Svetlana Tikhanovkaïa said to herself “proud of all Belarusians who continue to resist the hybrid Russian occupation of Belarus and fight for the freedom of Ukraine”.
“This action, if true, is fairly novel in form”explains to franceinfo Yauheni Kryzhanouski, specialist in protest movements in Belarus. However, the researcher does not completely rule out the hypothesis of an operation carried out by Ukrainian forces under cover of the local opposition, in order to avoid displaying a direct intervention in Belarus. But he considers this option less likely.
“This drone attack, in any case, would be consistent with Bypol’s objectives: to weaken Russian military capabilities, to weaken Lukashenko’s position and to show Ukraine that the Belarusian opposition exists, and that it is still active. “
Yauheni Kryzhanouski, expert on protest movements in Belarusat franceinfo
The researcher points to the general silence of journalists and bloggers who support the regime. “We never communicate about chess in Belarus”continues Yauheni Kryzhanouski. “The power may be looking for all designated culprits before reporting the information.”
“Lukashenko uses Stalinist methods”
Activist Kristina Maksimenko was arrested in the aftermath, according to the human rights center Viasna (in Belarusian). “She was taken into custody, along with other people who lived near the base”explains to franceinfo the organization, which does not know “still not the official reasons” of these arrests. The discussion forums have been the subject of a major cleaning by the authorities and the opposition newspaper Nasha Niva (in Belarusian) To referred to vehicle checks in several regions of the country.
Monday evening, especially, the authorities discreetly circulated the photo of a man from Crimea, accused of having committed “an extremely serious crime” in Matchoulishchy, according to the media Zerkalo (in Belarusian). “I don’t know this man”reacts Aliaksandr Azarau, hardly surprised by this announcement. “Alexander Lukashenko uses the methods of Stalinist repressions, and resorts to torture. The regime can arrest anyone and beat him, to make him confess anything.”