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| Date: | Saturday 23 July 2022 |
| Time: | 05:00 |
| Type: |  Sukhoi Su-27 |
| Owner/operator: | Ukrainian Air Force |
| Registration: | |
| MSN: | |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 0 |
| Other fatalities: | 0 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | Kanatovo Reserve Air Base, Kropyvnytskyi, Kirovograd Oblast -
 Ukraine
|
| Phase: | Standing |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | |
On 23 July 2022, a Ukrainian Air Force Sukhoi Su-27 fighter aircraft was destroyed stored on an auxillary apron away from the main flightline at Kanatovo Reserve Air Base in Kirovograd Oblast. Imagery later published by the Ukrainian State Security Service (SBU) shows that the aircraft sustained critical damage as a result of a missile landing just to the rear of the aircraft, with the twin vertical stabilisers of the aircraft as well as its engines being destroyed in the blast. Of note is that the wings of the aircraft had been removed for storage, indicating that the aircraft had possibly been damaged in a previous strike on the airbase.
The Russian Ministry of Defence, in a release to Russian State News Agency TASS stated: "Using precision weapons, Russian troops also hit Ukrainian army’s aircraft equipment at military airfield Kanatovo in the Kirovograd region". The attack had reportedly been carried out using ship launched 3M54 Kalibr missiles, as well as air launched Kh-22 air launched cruise missiles.
On 25 July 2022, Russian State News Agency TASS reported that the Federal Security Service of Russia (FSB) had thwarted a Ukrainian military intelligence operation to hijack a Russian Air Force aircraft. In a press briefing, the Central Administrative District noted: "The Federal Security Service opened and suppressed the operation of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine, supervised by NATO special forces, to hijack a combat aircraft of the Russian Air Force". The FSB further reported that "the Ukrainian military intelligence officers, acting on behalf of the political leadership of their country, tried to recruit Russian military pilots for monetary compensation and guarantees of obtaining citizenship of one of the EU countries, and persuade them to fly and land aircraft on airfields controlled by Ukrainian forces. As a result of these actions various details regarding the composition of aircraft, airbases and air defence forces were reportedly shared with Russian forces. Through this information, the FSB stated that a successful counterintelligence operation was able to be executed. TASS stated that 1 to 2 million USD had been offered. Tass further went on to claim that the plot had been backed by British intelligence services. The FSB further noted the involvement of Bellingcat reporter Christo Grozev in the plot. The FSB alleges that Grozev took part in organising the advance payment of supposed Russian pilots. Later in the year Grozev was put on Russia's wanted list by the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs.
In December 2022, Bulgarian National Television, citing the official response of the Bulgarian Foreign Ministry to the TV company's request, informed that the Russian ambassador was invited to the Bulgarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in connection with "the announcement by the Russian Interior Ministry that Bulgarian investigative journalist Christo Grozev had been put on the Russia's federal wanted list". Furthermore, in April 2023, Moscow's Lefortovo Court arrested Grozev in absentia under Article 322 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (Illegal crossing of the state border of the Russian Federation). Grozev was also charged with reportedly organising the illegal border crossing of journalist and activist Roman Dobrokhotov. Grozev, in several comments on his X (formerly Twitter) account confirmed his participation in the operation, explaining that Bellingcat was producing a documentary film about the operation.
Later in April 2023, the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) issued a notice of suspension to Roman Chervinskyi, a former acting commander. According to their investigation, the unauthorised actions of Chervinskyi led to forces of the Russian Federation being able to launch a rocket attack on the airbase. Chervinskyi was suspected under Article 426 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (Abuse of power or authority by a military official). The SBU stated that Chervinskyi and several other soldiers under his command attempted to conduct an operation to arrange for the defection of a Russian pilot, without the consent of the relevant state authorities. As a result the Security Service determined that due to these actions, forces of the Russian Federation were able to receive detailed information about the operating parameters of the airfield at Kanatovo.
"The SBU and the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine immediately objected to this plan, and it was not approved by other government agencies. After all, the special operation was fraught with many risks. But some people decided to act at their own discretion... I want to emphasize that no tricks will help evade responsibility. In my opinion, the culprit, whose actions led to the death of a Ukrainian serviceman and injury of another seventeen, must be punished," the SSU Head Vasyl Maliuk emphasized.
The SBU further confirmed the destruction of the fighter jets, as well as the airbase infrastructure. The base commander, Pidpolkovnyk Volodymyr Mikhailovich Marchenko was also killed, presumably as a result of a missile strike to the airbase control tower. 17 other military personnel were also injured in the attack. Images of the attack were also shared on the official Telegram channel of the Ukrainian SBU. Marchenko was posthumously awarded the Order of Courage and was laid to rest in his birthplace and hometown of Milnykyi in Chernihiv Oblast, near his parents grave.
In June 2023, in an interview with Ukrainska Pravda, Chervinskyi confirmed his close association with Bellingcat, and Christo Grozev.
Official Ukrainian court documentation released in April 2024 describes the circumstances of the failed defection operation, stating:
=
As a result of the above-mentioned actions, which contain signs of intelligence activity,
However, the servicemen of the armed forces of the Russian Federation, in relation to whom
Sources:
https://t.me/SBUkr/8060?single
https://t.me/SBUkr/8054
https://ssu.gov.ua/en/novyny/sbu-povidomyla-pro-pidozru-viiskovomu-chyi-dii-pryzvely-do-zhertv-ta-znyshchennia-tekhniky-pislia-obstrilu-aerodromu-kanatove-na-kirovohradshchyni
https://suspilne.media/kropyvnytskiy/387971-u-kropivnickomu-druzini-zagiblogo-pidpolkovnika-vrucili-orden-za-muznist/
https://chernihivnews.city/articles/226963/26-lipnya-v-nizhini-prostilisya-iz-zahisnikom-pidpolkovnikom-volodimirom-marchenkom
https://tass.ru/proisshestviya/15299503
https://tass.ru/proisshestviya/15299601
https://tass.com/russia/1484125
https://tass.com/defense/1484355
https://tass.com/society/1555997
https://tass.com/society/1555997
https://tass.com/society/1608019
https://babel.ua/en/news/93028-the-sbu-declared-the-suspicion-to-the-ex-intelligence-officer-roman-chervinskyi-the-case-concerns-the-failed-hijacking-of-a-russian-plane
https://english.nv.ua/nation/deadly-airfield-missile-attack-court-of-appeal-upholds-custody-of-ex-intel-officer-chervinskyi-50324660.html
https://verdictum.ligazakon.net/document/104102957
https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2023/06/28/7409006/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6f6t-1xMNSw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EmWVztDZuhE
https://verdictum.ligazakon.net/document/118520066
Location
Media:
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 01-Jun-2024 18:54 | Anon. | Added |
| 02-Jun-2024 06:31 | Anon. | Updated [Nature] |
| 11-Jun-2024 14:13 | Anon. | Updated [Source, Narrative] |
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