Two Ukrainian aircraft downed: Su-24 bomber and its covering MiG-29
The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation announced that on May 12 it shot down two Ukrainian planes. One was a Su-24 tactical bomber and the other was a MiG-29 covering it during the mission.
The two Ukrainian aircraft were shot down in the air by Russian fighters. The Ministry of Defense did not specify the type of Russian fighters. According to claims in Russian media, a pair of Su-30 and Su-35 participated in the operation to eliminate the Ukrainian aircraft.
Russia claims the downed Su-24 was the bomber that fired a Storm Shadow missile that hit the Polypak polymer products plant and the Milam meat processing plant in the city of Luhansk.
In its statement, the Russian Defense Ministry said that it was the British-supplied Storm Shadow missile that was used for the missile attack. Thus, the Russian ministry also confirms the claims of other experts about the first use of the British-supplied missile.
Strike back
Earlier today, May 13th, we reported that Ukraine responded to the shooting down of its planes yesterday and shot down four Russian aircraft. The Russian vehicles downed today were two Mi-8 helicopters, one Su-34 fighter bomber, and one Su-35 fighter.
According to Ukrainian reports, the two helicopters were shot down over the Bryansk region. A Su-34 “fell” in the same region. We write “fallen” because Russia denies that the Su-34 was shot down, but claims that a technical failure [engine fire] caused the plane to fall to the ground and burst into flames. There is no word on the pilot’s condition.
Despite Russia’s claims of engine failure, the Russian command has sent special forces to search for a Ukrainian sabotage group that may have been responsible for “firing missiles that downed the Su-34”. Regarding the downed Su-35, information continues to be scarce and still unconfirmed categorically. But Russian sources say the plane was actually shot down.
Storm Shadow
The use of the British-supplied Storm Shadow missile gives us an answer to the question of whether the Ukrainians were able to integrate the missile into being launched by a Soviet tactical bomber. The answer is yes.
However, it remains unclear whether the Su-24 pilot programmed the missile at the time of launch, or whether programming to the target was done on the ground.
The air defenses of Luhansk are questionable after Storm Shadow was able to travel the pre-set route without any problems, without deviating from it. Although the missile is difficult to detect on radar when flying at low altitudes, Russian senior military officials claim that they have shot down such a missile in Syria with the Buk and Tor systems.
2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine
On 21 February 2022, Russia claimed that Ukrainian shelling had destroyed an FSB border facility. Russia claimed that it had killed 5 Ukrainian soldiers. They tried to cross into Russian territory. Ukraine denied being involved in both incidents and called them a false flag.
On the same day, the Russian government formally recognized the self-proclaimed DPR and LPR. According to Putin not only in their de-facto controlled areas, but the Ukrainian Oblasts as a whole. Putin ordered Russian troops, including tanks, to enter the regions.
On 24 February 2022, Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered an invasion of Ukraine by Russian Armed Forces previously concentrated along the border. The invasion followed by targeted airstrikes of military buildings in the country, as well as tanks entering via the Belarus border.
Russia has so far not recognized the invasion of Ukraine as a “war”, although that is exactly what it is, claiming that it is a “special military operation”. According to the UN, a “special military operation” can only take place after a UN resolution. There is no such resolution. So this is an invasion and war against Ukraine.
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