Ukraine’s Defense Forces struck two Be-12 anti-submarine aircraft in temporarily occupied Crimea using attack drones.
The information was released by the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, which published an image of the alleged strike carried out on the night of February 21, 2026.
According to the statement, the aircraft were hit in the city of Yevpatoria, on the premises of a local Aircraft Repair Plant. Traditionally, these planes are based at Kacha airfield near Sevastopol, raising the possibility that the targets were undergoing maintenance or repair at the time of the attack.
Possible targets: aircraft under maintenance or decommissioned
According to military analysts, there are two main hypotheses regarding the strike. The first is that the Defense Forces targeted operational aircraft relocated for maintenance. The second possibility involves decommissioned or confiscated aircraft following Russia’s occupation of Crimea in 2014, which may have been used as a source of spare parts.
In Yevpatoria, for example, several Be-12 aircraft belonging to the 10th Naval Aviation Brigade of the Ukrainian Navy remain, as they could not be withdrawn to Kyiv-controlled territory after the annexation of the peninsula.
What is the Be-12
The Be-12 is an amphibious aircraft designed for long-range maritime patrol. Equipped with floats, the aircraft can land on water, a feature that enhances its versatility for search and rescue missions.
In the Black Sea, Russia primarily uses these aircraft to counter Ukrainian naval drones. The planes conduct maritime patrols and strike detected surface targets with aerial bombs.
Since the Be-12 has not been produced since the 1970s, fleet maintenance depends on cannibalizing decommissioned units. Estimates indicate that Russian naval aviation operates fewer than 20 serviceable examples, employed in both patrol and search and rescue missions.
Previous attacks had already weakened the fleet
The incident comes months after a similar operation. In September 2025, drones from the Ghost special unit, linked to the Main Intelligence Directorate of Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense, struck two Be-12 aircraft at Kacha airfield.
At that time, as the aircraft were parked in the open, operators were able to inflict selective damage, affecting Russian anti-submarine capabilities in the Black Sea. Satellite imagery released later confirmed the destruction of an An-26 transport aircraft and damage to two anti-submarine aircraft.
The new strike in Yevpatoria, if confirmed, represents another blow to a fleet that is already limited and difficult to replace, increasing pressure on Russian maritime patrol assets in the region.
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Source and images: Facebook – General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (@GeneralStaff.ua) | Wikimedia | Flickr | militarnyi. This content was created with the assistance of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
