Ukraine claims to have shot down two vital Russian planes

The Ukrainian Air Force shot down two vital Russian aircraft: an early warning and control aircraft that can spot targets at a distance of about 650 kilometers, and a flying command center that sends information to ground forces, a significant blow to the Kremlin's military, the head of the Ukrainian Air Force said today. of the General Staff of Ukraine, General Valery Zaluzhnyi.

According to him, these are Beria A-50 and Ilyushin Il-22 aircraft. Zaluzhnyi did not say how they were shot down, but Ukraine received sophisticated air defense systems from its Western allies.

Zaluzhnyi did not say where Beria's A-50 and Il-22 were intercepted, although he added to his social media post a video from satellite tracking of the aircraft showing the two targets disappearing over the Sea of ​​Azov, located between Ukraine and Russia, north of the occupied Crimea and the Black Sea.

These aircraft are fundamental tools for orchestrating the movement of Russian forces across the battlefield in Ukraine. Their downing, if confirmed, will be extremely important for Kiev in the almost two-year war - currently reduced to exchanges of missile and drone strikes, and trench warfare along the largely frozen front line.

Russia mostly ensured dominance over the airspace during the war, given that Ukraine only has Soviet-era military aircraft at its disposal, while the other side has more modern aircraft.

So far, there are no comments from Moscow on Zaluzny's statements.

Russian war bloggers claim that both planes came under "friendly fire", that is, they were fired upon by Russian forces, but they have not provided evidence for their claims.

According to their statements, Iyushin's Il-22 was hit, it was damaged, but it landed successfully.

Aircraft of this type are flying command centers, monitor military operations and send radio signals to troops on the front line. Russia reportedly has dozens of such aircraft in service.

The A-50, which carries a large radar, usually carries a crew of 15, and the Russian Air Force is said to have nine such aircraft.

In February 2023, a drone attack on an airport in Belarus damaged an A-50 parakeet, but Russian and Belarusian officials described the damage as minor.

Ukraine wants to impress its Western allies with its ability to use the modern weaponry supplied to it. It also wants to keep the world's attention on the war being fought on its territory, fearing that it is falling down the list of global priorities.