Russia-Ukraine War - News, Discussions & Updates

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UKRAINE CLAIMS IT SHOT DOWN 13 RUSSIAN MILITARY JETS IN FEBRUARY​

  1. Ukraine claims it shot down 13 Russian military jets in February


By Vladimir Trendafilovski 5th March 2024
NEWS

As of February 29, the Ukrainian Air Force (UkrAF) has claimed to have shot down a total of 13 Russian military fixed-wing aircraft since January 30, marking the highest number of Russian military jet losses in a single month and the greatest increase in results for Ukraine’s anti-air operations since October 2022.
These losses – all of which were operated by the Russian Aerospace Forces (RuAF) – include ten Su-34 Fullback fighter-bombers, two Su-35S Flanker-E multi-role fighters and one A-50U Mainstay airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft. As has been the norm so far, there has been no official confirmation from the Russian Ministry of Defence (MOD), but Russian social media channels have confirmed some of them, including the second loss of a Russian A-50U this year (see ‘Ukrainian missiles take out Russian C2 aircraft’, AFM March 2024, p8).
A bird’s eye view of a RuAF-operated A-50U Mainstay (37 Red) in flight over an undisclosed location. Russia was estimated to have approximately nine operational A-50s in 2021, but Ukraine claims to have shot down two examples of the AEW&C aircraft since the start of 2024.
A bird’s eye view of a RuAF-operated A-50U Mainstay (37 Red) in flight over an undisclosed location. Russia was estimated to have approximately nine operational A-50s in 2021, but Ukraine claims to have shot down two examples of the AEW&C aircraft since the start of 2024. aviation-images.com/Universal Images Group via Getty Images
The latest Mainstay loss (reportedly RF-50610/42 Red) was struck by an unknown surface-to-air missile (SAM) while operating over Russian territory at approximately 1845hrs (local time) on February 23. It crashed between the villages of Borets Truda and Trudovaya Armeniya in Russia’s Krasnodar Krai Oblast. All of its onboard crew members are presumed to have been killed in the ensuing fire. Eyewitness videos show the aircraft releasing countermeasures before being hit, suggesting that the crew was fully aware that they were being targeted. At least one SAM has missed the aircraft just moments before the second one scored a hit.
What is probably the most interesting fact about this incident is that it occurred approximately 250km (155 miles) away from the nearest frontline, which would be out of reach of any of the SAM systems that are currently known to be in UkrAF service. Unofficial Ukrainian sources suggest that the culprit was the S-200V Vega (SA-5 Gammon) long-range SAM system, which was retired from active service at the end of October 2013.
Nonetheless, the S-200V is known to have been returned to service in mid-2023 but has so far been noted in use as a surface-to-surface ballistic missile – a built-in secondary role for most Soviet-era SAM systems, including the latest S-300/S-400 (SA-10 Grumble/SA-21 Growler) systems that are regularly used by the Russians to attack ground targets in Ukraine.

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Originally published in Key Aero Freemium​

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MOSCOW SUFFERS BLOW AS UKRAINE DOWNS TWO RUSSIAN COMMAND AIRCRAFT IN ONE NIGHT​

  1. Moscow suffers blow as Ukraine downs two Russian command aircraft in one night


By Vladimir Trendafilovski 16th January 2024
NEWS

While operating over the waters of the Sea of Azov at approximately 2110hrs (local time) on the night of January 14, two high-value aircraft of the Russian Aerospace Forces (RuAF) were struck by Ukrainian missiles, with one crashing and the other being forced to make an emergency landing.
Official Ukrainian sources were quick to report that this was the handiwork of the Ukrainian Air Force (UkrAF), without disclosing any further details. This does not come as a surprise, as the UkrAF operates long-range surface-to-air missile (SAM) systems – of which, the US-built Patriot is the most advanced. It is believed that the UkrAF deployed Patriot systems to extremely forward operating locations on a number of occasions last year, yielding similar spectacular results, and this might yet be another such case.
Ukraine reportedly shot down a RuAF-operated A-50 Mainstay AEW&C aircraft over the Sea of Azov on January 14, with the aircraft said to have crashed into the Sea of Azov after it was struck.
Ukraine reportedly shot down a RuAF-operated A-50 Mainstay AEW&C aircraft over the Sea of Azov on January 14, with the aircraft said to have crashed into the Sea of Azov after it was struck. Russian MOD
The Russian Ministry of Defence (MOD) remained silent on this matter, but Russian social media channels confirmed both of the aircraft losses on January 14 – giving preference to the possibility that this was yet another case of ‘friendly fire.’
The first aircraft that was shot down was reportedly a Beriev A-50 Mainstay (RF-50601/‘50 Red’) – an airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft, which crashed into the Sea of Azov with all its crew members presumed to be lost. The second aircraft was an Ilyushin Il-22M11-RT Coot-B (RF-95678) – a former Il-22M11 Zebra airborne command post that was upgraded with the SURT Sokol radio relay system, converting it into an airborne radio relay post. The aircraft in question was heavily damaged by what was clearly a missile blast and had to immediately divert to Anapa International Airport in Krasnodar Krai, Russia, where it made an emergency landing. Several of the crew are believed to have been injured, but no fatalities have been reported. Official Ukrainian sources consider the aircraft to be beyond economical repair.
This RuAF-operated Il-22M11-RT Coot-B (RF-95678) is seen on the ground at Anapa International Airport in Krasnodar Krai, Russia, shortly after it completed its emergency landing on the night of January 14. The heavy shrapnel damage inflicted on the tail suggests that a surface-to-air missile was involved.
This RuAF-operated Il-22M11-RT Coot-B (RF-95678) is seen on the ground at Anapa International Airport in Krasnodar Krai, Russia, shortly after it completed its emergency landing on the night of January 14. The heavy shrapnel damage inflicted on the tail suggests that a surface-to-air missile was involved. Russian Internet Resources
While the culprit still remains unclear, it is more than obvious that the loss of such high-value aircraft will be a blow to the RuAF – both types are in short supply but are integral to controlling and supporting ongoing operations over Ukraine. Due to this, Russia cannot afford to lose them. Approximately ten A-50s and 15 Il-22s (many of which are fitted with the SURT Sokol system) are believed to have been operational with the RuAF when the war with Ukraine began in February 2022 – one Il-22 has already been lost in the conflict, during the brief Wagner Group rebellion on June 24, 2023.

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