Air Force told what contributes to destruction of enemy aircraft on far outskirts
This is how Yuriy Ihnat, spokesman for the Ukrainian Air Force, commented on the downing of another Russian Su-34 during the United News telethon, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.
"The Ukrainian Air Force manages to shoot down enemy aircraft at long distances. They are shot down quite far away... That is, Russian pilots are no longer so impudent, no longer flying so close," the spokesman said.
At the same time, he said, enemy pilots need to fly closer to launch a guided bomb and have to take risks. "By taking risks, they end up in stories like today's," he said.
Ihnat noted that the absence of A-50 reconnaissance aircraft in the airspace also contributes to the destruction of enemy aircraft on the far approaches.
"A-50 has not been observed for four days... It is clear that the enemy receives less information about our radar stations, air defense systems and our aircraft. That is why the disappearance of these aircraft, even temporarily, is important. This is a good sign for us, and perhaps it even helps us to some extent to work on Russian aircraft with our means on the distant approaches," Ihnat said.
In addition, he said, Ukraine is getting more means to reach the enemy on the far outskirts.
"It is very important to provide Ukraine with more systems, more means. Air defense systems, as well as ammunition for them - anti-aircraft guided missiles - are not manufactured quickly. And we have a serious consumption," he said.
The spokesman recalled that the Armed Forces had to spend a lot of such ammunition when repelling massive missile attacks in late 2023 and early 2024.
As Ukrinform reported earlier, the Defense Forces destroyed an enemy Su-34 fighter-bomber in the eastern sector.
As of February 28, the Ukrainian Air Force has shot down 10 Russian military aircraft in 10 days, including nine Su-34s and Su-35s.
On February 23, the Defense Forces reported the downing of a Russian A-50 long-range radar detection aircraft. The plane was shot down by an S-200 air defense system. This is the third loss of a Russian A-50. Earlier, a similar aircraft was disabled by Belarusian partisans at the Machulischi airbase in February 2023, and on January 14, 2024, the Ukrainian Air Force shot down A-50 and Il-22 aircraft.
Photo: OP
