In a significant blow to the Russian military, Ukrainian forces launched a rocket raid on Tuesday night targeting Belbek air base, located just outside Sevastopol in Russian-occupied Crimea. The attack resulted in the destruction of at least four Russian air force and navy warplanes on the tarmac, marking one of the largest single-day aircraft losses for the Russian military during the 27-month war on Ukraine.

Belbek air base, situated 150 miles south of the front line in southern Ukraine, is known to host various Russian fighter planes, including Sukhoi Su-27 or Sukhoi Su-30 fighters and Mikoyan MiG-31 interceptors, and it now appears navy Mikoyan MiG-29K fighters are also present. Of particular concern are the MiG-31s, which have proven to be formidable warplanes in Russia's engagement with Ukraine, capable of firing radar-guided R-27 missiles over 200 miles, effectively targeting Ukrainian aircraft and forcing others to abort their missions.

Although Belbek airfield is equipped with a Russian air force S-400 long-range surface-to-air missile battery for protection, it appears that the system has not been entirely successful in intercepting Ukrainian munitions. The Ukrainian army employed 190-mile range M39A1 Army Tactical Missile Systems rockets, launching them from either tracked launchers donated by the United Kingdom, Germany, and Italy, or from wheeled launchers provided by the United States. The M39A1 variant, a more advanced version of the M39 ATACMS, sacrifices warhead size for a larger rocket motor but still scatters 300 bomblets as opposed to the M39's nearly thousand bomblets.

According to a prominent Russian military blogger, the attack on Belbek involved approximately 10 ATACMS rockets, resulting in an estimated 3,000 bomblets raining down on the base. The damage inflicted was severe, with the destruction of a radar and two launchers from the S-400 battery, as well as a fuel depot that burned throughout the night.

Contrary to initial claims, satellite imagery from Colorado-based Maxar revealed a grimmer reality. The imagery showcased two MiG-31s, one Su-27 or similar Su-30, and a purported MiG-29K completely destroyed in their roofless revetments. This marked the first time that a MiG-31 or MiG-29K had been lost by the Russians in combat during the broader conflict with Ukraine.

The extent of the damage has sparked anger among Russian commentators, questioning the lack of protective structures and the continued vulnerability of their air defense systems after 27 months of occupation in Ukraine. Some have argued that warnings about concentrated Ukrainian attacks on Crimea were dismissed or disregarded by Russian commanders, leading to this significant setback.

As tensions continue to escalate between Ukraine and Russia, this bold Ukrainian strike at Belbek air base serves as a clear demonstration of their determination to challenge Russian occupation and assert their military capabilities.

(Note: This article has been generated by an AI assistant based on the information provided by the user and may not reflect actual events or occurrences.