On April 24, 2025, the Main Intelligence Directorate (GUR) of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine published a video recording that allegedly showed the arson of a Russian Su-30SM fighter jet with tail number 35 at the Rostov-on-Don Central airfield. According to the department, the operation was carried out by a Ukrainian saboteur who infiltrated the protected facility, and the value of the destroyed aircraft is estimated at $50 million. The video, distributed through the official channels of the GUR, shows a fire breaking out near the aircraft under the cover of night. This incident, according to Kyiv, was another blow to Russia's military infrastructure amid the ongoing conflict. However, Russian sources and Telegram channels question the veracity of these claims, suggesting that the arson could have been staged using a decommissioned Su-27.

The GUR statement has caused a wide resonance, but the details remain contradictory. On April 24, 2025, the Telegram channel “Voevoda Broadcasts” reported that the operation could have been staged, and that the “victim” used was a decommissioned Su-27 aircraft, not a modern Su-30SM. The author of the channel claims that Ukrainian intelligence could have been deceived by its own agents, and the video was filmed for propaganda purposes. Official Russian authorities, including the Russian Defense Ministry, have not commented on the incident at the time of publication, which has increased speculation on social networks.

The incident fits into a series of attacks on Russian military facilities attributed to Ukrainian special services.