On Thursday, 4 December 2025, the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine (HUR MO) released video footage showing the destruction of a MiG-29 multirole aircraft (NATO reporting name: Fulcrum) at Kacha Air Base in occupied Crimea by means of an FP-2 kamikaze attack drone. This is the first confirmed Russian loss of this aircraft type since the outbreak of the full-scale war, and interestingly, the aircraft was a carrier-based MiG-29KR/KUBR (Fulcrum-D).
Photo: HUR MO
The attack was carried out by a special unit subordinate to the HUR MO, the unmanned systems group Prymary (Ukr. Dukhy – “Ghosts”). The aircraft was hit and completely destroyed.
In addition, the Irtysh-SKU airfield radar operating in the L-band with an instrumental range of 180 km and equipped with a parabolic antenna near Simferopol was also targeted.
Earlier, on 25 September this year, the HUR MO destroyed two An-26 light transport aircraft (NATO reporting name: Curl) and an MR-10M1 Mys M1 coastal radar station, while on 22 September it destroyed two Beriev Be-12 Chaika twin-engine amphibious patrol and anti-submarine aircraft (NATO reporting name: Mail).
That same night, the “Prymary” also hit the “Irtysh” airfield radar complex near temporarily occupied Simferopol.
Glory to Ukraine!
— Defence Intelligence of Ukraine (@DI_Ukraine) December 4, 2025
In 2012, Russia ordered 20 single-seat carrier-based MiG-29KR aircraft and 4 two-seat MiG-29KUBR aircraft, with the first example taking to the air in 2013. They are stationed together with the heavy Su-33s (NATO reporting name: Flanker-D) at the airbase in Severomorsk and are assigned to Russia’s only aircraft carrier, the Admiral Kuznetsov (whose fate now appears to be essentially sealed).
With yesterday’s incident, Russia has lost a total of four aircraft:
- 23 June 2011: A two-seat prototype MiG-29KUBR (Red 47) crashed in Astrakhan Oblast during tests; both pilots were killed.
- 4 December 2014: A two-seat prototype MiG-29KUBR crashed in Moscow Oblast; the single pilot on board was killed.
- 3 December 2016: A single-seat MiG-29KR, tail number 311, crashed during approach to the aircraft carrier during a mission over the Mediterranean Sea due to a hook or hydraulic failure; the pilot ejected safely.
A comparison of @planet low-res satellite images of the Kacha airfield in Crimea, taken around noon today and on Nov. 27, confirms the strike on the MiG-29 fighter jet claimed by @DI_Ukraine. Not 100% sure, but it looks like a scorch mark and vehicle or plane remnants. https://t.co/0ZTWzq7g37 pic.twitter.com/bjU7hBKfjO
— Mark Krutov (@kromark) December 4, 2025
Low-res imagery makes it hard to draw conclusions, yes, but a normal plane there looks different on @planet 3 m/px imagery. I don’t exclude a scorch mark + a parked vehicle, but what we see on Dec. 4 image is not typical compared with historical imagery. https://t.co/SSKbG2QVyD pic.twitter.com/xMJUFAhcIs
— Mark Krutov (@kromark) December 4, 2025