Russia’s Secret Base Revealed in Propaganda Scandal, Ukrainian Forces Destroy Aircraft

Russia’s Propaganda Backfires as Ukraine Destroys Aircraft After Location Reveal

Russia’s latest attempt to showcase its military might has backfired spectacularly after Ukrainian forces destroyed two aircraft following an ill-conceived propaganda video that inadvertently revealed their location.

According to Lithuanian news outlet Lrytas, Ukraine’s Security Service successfully eliminated two Russian Yak-52 planes that had been used to intercept long-range Ukrainian drones. The strike was carried out shortly after Russian state media released footage intended to demonstrate the country’s air power.

What began as a boastful publicity stunt quickly transformed into a costly operational security failure. The propaganda video showed one of the Yak-52 aircraft in extensive detail, providing Ukrainian intelligence analysts with enough information to determine the precise coordinates of the Russian base. The footage revealed runway markings, infrastructure layouts, and even serial numbers on the planes.

Armed with this intelligence, Ukraine’s Special Operations Center conducted a targeted strike that destroyed both aircraft at a private airfield near Pryazovske, approximately 20 kilometers southeast of the occupied city of Melitopol in southern Ukraine.

“The video gave away everything,” said one Ukrainian defense analyst. “It revealed the coordinates, the runway alignment, and even the tail numbers. All Ukraine had to do was confirm and strike.”

The blunder has become one of the most embarrassing intelligence lapses for Moscow in recent months, highlighting a recurring problem where Russia’s eagerness to project military strength through state media ends up compromising its own operational security.

The Yak-52 is a Soviet-era two-seat training aircraft designed by the Yakovlev Design Bureau in the 1970s. Powered by a 360-horsepower Vedeneyev M-14P radial engine, it has a top speed of about 285 km/h (177 mph) and a range of approximately 550 kilometers. With a maximum takeoff weight of 1,305 kg, the aircraft can perform aerobatic maneuvers withstanding forces up to +7 and -5 G.

Originally built for pilot instruction and aerobatics training, the Yak-52 is known for its simplicity, durability, and ability to operate from unpaved runways. Though not designed as a combat aircraft, Russian forces have adapted these planes for reconnaissance or counter-drone tasks due to their maneuverability and relatively low operating costs.

In the civilian market, Yak-52 models typically sell for between US$120,000 and US$200,000 depending on condition. However, military versions retrofitted with sensors or specialized equipment can cost significantly more.

The destroyed aircraft were reportedly part of a small fleet Russia had been using to track Ukrainian drones across the occupied Zaporizhzhia region. Their loss represents an operational setback for Russian forces attempting to counter Ukraine’s increasingly sophisticated drone operations.

While the destruction of two training aircraft might appear minor in the context of a full-scale war, the incident carries significant symbolic weight. It demonstrates how Ukraine continues to exploit Russian military vulnerabilities through precision intelligence gathering and targeted strikes, while simultaneously highlighting Moscow’s careless approach to operational security.

This incident adds to a growing list of Russian military blunders that have been exposed throughout the conflict. Since the full-scale invasion began in February 2022, Ukrainian forces have repeatedly demonstrated their ability to identify and strike high-value Russian targets, from ammunition depots to command centers, often using information inadvertently provided by Russian sources.

For the Kremlin, which has invested heavily in projecting an image of military competence and superiority, such failures represent not just tactical setbacks but also significant blows to the narrative of Russian military prowess that state media works diligently to maintain.

As the conflict continues into its third year, this incident serves as yet another reminder of how modern warfare is fought not just on the battlefield but in the information space, where a single propaganda misstep can have immediate and costly real-world consequences.