STRIPPER GENERAL
Putin’s ‘naked general’ caught in STRIPPING SCANDAL is blamed for humiliating strike that destroyed £270m spy plane
A TOP Russian general caught flashing in a scandalous viral video has been blamed online for the loss of a £274million spy plane in Belarus.
Saboteurs using drones blew up the high-tech Beriev A-50U jet near the capital Minsk in a humiliating blow for Vladimir Putin.
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Belarussian activists boasted the ambush was aided by lax security at the Machulishchy air base used by Putin's jets to wage war in Ukraine.
Now some are pointing the finger at Alexander Matovnikov, Deputy Commander-in-Chief of Russian Ground Forces in Belarus.
Critics say the commander - who was filmed dancing in the nude in a viral video - may have taken his eye off the ball.
Known as a perpetual "ladies man", Matovnikov can be seen shimmying around wearing nothing but a white towel.
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He provocatively drops the towel to show off his manhood and backside before smirking and continuing to dance.
Viewers of the video online were shocked at the Russian commander's raunchy actions.
One commented: "Some things you can't unsee..."
Another said: "The Russian army reveals itself!"
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Local anti-government activists who oppose the war in Ukraine claimed responsibility for destroying the war plane, in a massive blow to Putin.
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 Sunday's surprise attack.
But they were already safely out of the country, said Alexander Azarov, head of the ByPol opposition movement.
The early warning surveillance jet - one of only six in Russia's fleet - had arrived in Belarus on January 3.
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.
ByPol said the high-tech plane was badly damaged and “definitely won’t fly anywhere”.
There have been several reported sabotage attacks in Belarus since last year's invasion, many targeting railway supply routes.
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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.
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