Moscow says it has destroyed five Ukrainian fighter jets

Russia said Tuesday it had destroyed five Su-27 fighter jets at an air base in Ukraine, sparking debate over kyiv’s ability to secure its airfields ahead of the expected delivery of F-16s.

The Russian Defense Ministry said it had struck a base near the town of Myrgorod, some 150 km from the Russian border, with Iskander-M ballistic missiles.

“Five Su-27 fighter jets were destroyed and two others, which were being repaired, were damaged,” the ministry said on its Telegram account in a message accompanied by a video showing a strike filmed apparently by a drone.

“There are losses, but fewer”

AFP was unable to confirm the veracity of these statements, and Ukraine has not commented on the information, but the strike was first reported on Monday by Ukrainian and Russian military bloggers.

Yuri Ignat, a former spokesman for the Ukrainian air force who still serves in it, confirmed the attack but insisted that the losses were minor.

“There are losses, but less than the enemy claims,” ​​he wrote on Facebook, “the air force is doing everything to thwart (the plans) of the enemy, to mislead it, in particular by using models,” said this soldier.

However, the bombing of the airfield and the fact that the site was under surveillance by a Russian drone at such a distance from the front illustrates Ukraine’s difficulties in air defense and the threat that will weigh on the F-16s it is expecting.

F16 safety in question

kyiv has been demanding the American-made fighter jets since the Russian assault began in February 2022, even though Russia has a much more powerful air force.

The aircraft are intended to both secure Ukraine’s skies and support ground troops. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said he needs 120 to 130 aircraft.

NATO countries have promised dozens of planes and are training crews. And the delivery of the first ones is imminent.

The Russian strike on the airbase “raised many questions in society, including why Ukrainian planes were not in shelters, but in the open air. The answer is simple: there are none,” notes the Ukrainian military analysis center, Defense Express.

“While Ukraine is waiting for F16s, the question of their security on the ground arises,” notes the center, which also notes that the Ukrainian army was unable to do anything against the Russian surveillance drone that filmed the attack.

AFP

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