In a recent military operation in the Black Sea, Ukrainian soldiers successfully shot down a Russian Su-30SM aircraft using a man-portable air defense system. The destroyed aircraft belonged to the 43rd Separate Naval Aviation Regiment of the Russian Aerospace Forces based in occupied Crimea. Valued at around $50 million, the fighter jet went missing on the morning of Sept. 11, prompting a search and rescue mission by the Russian military.
Although the Kyiv Independent couldn’t independently verify the reports, the Russian Defense Ministry claimed the incident was related to thwarting Ukraine’s alleged attempt to regain control of the Krym-2 drilling rig in the Black Sea. However, there is no concrete evidence linking the two events. Ukraine’s military intelligence agency has remained tight-lipped on the details of the operation. Meanwhile, Navy spokesperson Dmytro Pletenchuk revealed that Russia was utilizing only five military airfields in occupied Crimea, with two reportedly impacted by Ukrainian forces.
In a separate incident, soldiers from Ukraine’s 3rd Tank Brigade previously downed a Russian Orlan drone at a record height of 3,620 meters. Photos of the incident were shared by the Ukrainian military on Sept. 9, showcasing their continued efforts to defend Ukrainian airspace.
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