Ukrainian air-defenses reportedly shot down two of the Russian air force’s rarest and most valuable command aircraft on Sunday: a Beriev A-50 radar early-warning plane and an Ilyushin Il-22 airborne command post.

Ukrainian media has cited government officials confirming the purported shoot-downs, but there’s little hard evidence of the incidents.

Ukraine’s RBC Radio posted what it claimed was an audio recording of the Il-22’s crew radioing an S-O-S to controllers apparently in Anapa, on the Russian side of the Sea of Azov’s southern coast. “Urgently requesting ambulance and fire crew,” the crew radioed.

    • rivermonster@lemmy.world
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      10 months ago

      Absolutely, I’m dying for some details, and what a massive loss for Russia. If true, they won’t be able to use these most effectively (having to force them to stand off) or possibly at all (deoensing on what happened). That would definitely be massive

  • HuddaBudda@kbin.social
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    10 months ago

    Ukraine has been having a lot of success recently, due to a new weapon on the field, it is taking out most of Russia’s remaining air power.

    That according to the Russian Air Force General, was already reduced to less then 1/3rd effectiveness.

    • Quacksalber
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      10 months ago

      Just goes to show what western military support can do. Hopefully we’ll see more support in the near future.

  • randon31415@lemmy.world
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    10 months ago

    So Ukraine got tired of waiting for Russia’s “big missile attack” and moved it’s patriot systems close to the front. Kyiv is unprotected, but with a little trickery (keeping the main radar offline and using a lower power radar closer to the front to prevent the planes from realizing they are entering into it’s coverage) they can lock down Russia’s air force.

    • DrPop@lemmy.world
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      10 months ago

      That’s the best defense is a good offense right there. I wish Russia would go bankrupt or there be another revolution.

  • ArbitraryValue
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    10 months ago

    Don’t both these aircraft normally operate well outside the range of any Ukrainian anti-aircraft system?

    • Wahots@pawb.social
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      10 months ago

      It says in the article that their range may have been severely limited by friendly electronic jamming. They may have flown within the range of patriot AA by mistake trying to support Russian military. Hopefully two airframes are total losses.

  • Stanwich@lemmy.world
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    10 months ago

    You know those game ads with the hundreds of zombies running after you as you try to multiply guns. Russia is just going to do that to Ukraine.