A RUSSIAN spy plane was reportedly destroyed in an audacious sabotage attack in Belarus using shop-bought drones in the latest blow to Vladimir Putin.
Local anti-government activists who oppose the war in Ukraine claimed responsibility for blowing up the £274million Beriev A-50U jet near the capital, Minsk.
They used modified commercial drones bought at a shop to ambush the Machulishchy air base, opposition leaders said.
Belarus reportedly closed its borders to stop the culprits fleeing after yesterday's surprise attack.
But they were already safely out of the country, said Alexander Azarov, head of the ByPol opposition movement.
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The early warning surveillance jet - one of only six in Russia's fleet - had arrived in Belarus on January 3.
It flew at least 12 missions over Ukraine, pinpointing targets for MiG jets on bombing raids launched from the same airfield.
The A-50U's advanced radar was able to guide bombers to anti-aircraft weapons on the ground, sources said.
Yesterday's attack is a huge blow to Russia's stumbling efforts to achieve air superiority and a major embarrassment to Putin.
The plane was “significantly damaged” by two drones, according to the Belarusian Hajun project Telegram channel.
It said the “front and central parts of the aircraft, its avionics and radar antennae” were hit.
Several huge explosions were earlier reported at the Machulishchy military base.
A Russian military transport aircraft and snowploughs were also damaged in the strike.
Belarus security forces reportedly found a bag with drone control equipment near the base.
The sabotage attack is said to be the work of Belarus "partisans" who oppose dictator Aleksander Lukashenko's decision to let Putin use the country as a staging post for war.
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ByPol said the high-tech plane was badly damaged and “definitely won’t fly anywhere”.
Mr Azarov declined to confirm how many drones were used, but mocked Russian forces' lax security today.
He told Belsat of the planned sabotage: "Everything depends on opportunities, intelligence.
"There were enough options, but they saw that this plane was almost not guarded.
"Previously, soldiers guarded all airfields, even dug trenches. Now they walk peacefully: they think they (threats) have all been suppressed."
He added: “The participants of the operation were Belorussians, taking part in the ‘Peramoga’ [Belarus for Victory) plan.
“They are now safe outside the country. They have all gone.
“[The security services] may keep looking for them but they will have the same luck as searching for wind in a field.”
A local resident said: “Half of Machulishchy is cordoned off. Lots of soldiers everywhere.
“We saw five military vehicles with machine guns. They are stopping all cars and minibuses there, checking bags and car boots.”
Neither the Russian nor Belarussian defence ministries have so far commented on the explosions.
There have been several reported sabotage attacks in Belarus since last year's invasion, many targeting railway supply routes.
But the drone attack is the most spectacular and echoes previous attacks by Ukrainian resistance fighters on air bases in occupied Crimea.
In another humiliation for Putin, nuclear bombers used to blitz Ukraine were also blown up by drones at Engels 2 base deep inside Russia.
Exiled Belarus opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya said: "I am proud of all Belarusians who continue to resist the Russian hybrid occupation of Belarus & fight for the freedom of Ukraine.”
Russia had a total of nine A-50 aircraft - called Mainstay by Nato - of which six were the modernised U-type.
They feature a 33ft fibreglass dome housing the rotating antenna of the Shmel radar complex - which can reportedly track 60 targets simultaneously.
Machulishchy is used by Putin’s MiG-31K fighter jets - which carry hypersonic Kinzhal missiles - for attacks on Ukraine.
The MiGs are often accompanied by the A-50U during operations.
The A-50U is designed to track and identify threats in the air or on the the ground and direct fighter jets to targets.
Russia has so far failed to establish aerial dominance a year on from the invasion.
Western anti-aircraft systems mean Russia's jets have played only a small part in the conflict.
Instead tank battles have given way to grinding trench warfare in the Donbas.
