Ukrainian Saboteur Walked 370 Miles to Destroy Russia's Tu-22 Bomber

In a rare admission of operational details, military intelligence in Kyiv has described how a unit walked hundreds of miles in enemy territory to help destroy Russian aircraft that had been bombing Ukraine.

Defense Intelligence of Ukraine (GUR) made the revelation in posthumously honoring Colonel Oleh Babiy, 43, for his resolve in fighting Russian aggression.

The GUR said since the start of Vladimir Putin's full-scale invasion, Babiy had led his unit to conduct special operations in the Russian-occupied territories of Ukraine, as well as in Russian territory, "which changed the course of this war."

These included nine reconnaissance sorties behind enemy lines, 12 operations organizing the resistance movement in Russian-controlled Ukrainian territory as well as detecting command posts and equipment later targeted by Ukrainian forces.

Thanks to Babiy and his unit, Ukrainian forces disrupted Moscow's logistics, destroyed facilities and ensured some Russian units "lost their combat capability," the GUR said.

But in August, Babiy carried out his final mission for his country after demonstrating a formidable feat of endurance.

Tasked with stopping Russia's aerial bombardment of Ukraine, Babiy and his comrades walked more than 370 miles, penetrating deep into enemy territory. The GUR did not specify the exact location but said their work led to the destruction of a Russian Tupolev TU-22M3 bomber and disabled two more aircraft that had been used to attack Ukraine.

This disrupted the plans of Russia's military and political leadership to launch missile strikes on Ukraine, the GUR said. It also caused economic damage and "sowed panic among the local population and the Russian military."

While the GUR did not clarify if it was the same incident, on August 19, a drone attack hit the Soltsy-2 airbase in Russia that destroyed at least one Tu-22M3 Backfire bomber, which Moscow blamed on Kyiv. Images shared by Ukrainian internal affairs advisor Anton Gerashchenko showing an aircraft in a fireball. The long-range bombers based in Soltsy are used to launch Kh-22 cruise missiles at Ukrainian territory,

However, upon their return to Ukrainian territory, Babiy's group was ambushed by Russian troops on August 30. Babiy was mortally wounded and died, the GUR statement said, without revealing the fate of his comrades.

For his feat, he was awarded the title of Hero of Ukraine with the Order of the Golden Star. In presenting the award to his family on January 23—Ukraine's Day of Unity, President Volodymyr Zelensky told Babiy's seven-year-old son Artemchyk, "your father is a hero and you are the son of a hero."

Babiy's wife, Yuliia, said she had found out about his death on August 31 but initially kept it to herself so as not to overshadow their son's first day of school the following day.

"Oleh always repeated the same words to me: 'You have to be strong for the sake of our children, because you knew who you were marrying,'" she said. The couple also have a daughter who was one year old when Babiy died.

A commemorative plaque has been unveiled at the school in Lviv where Babiy studied and the ceremony was attended by teachers, fellow soldiers, classmates and friends, as well as representatives of the city administration and clergy.

"Heroes don't die," the GUR said.

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