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Russian Losses
During the observed period, the Russian Air
Force lost one Su-27 fighter jet, which crashed
into the Black Sea near the port of Sevastopol
in occupied Crimea on Thursday, March 28.
The burning aircraft spiraled down, and although
the circumstances of its loss are unknown,
it likely fell victim to its own air defense.
The pilot ejected and survived.
Not directly related to the war in Ukraine was
the loss of an Il-76 transport plane on Tuesday,
March 12, near Ivanovo Severny Air Base,
approximately 250 km northeast of Moscow.
An engine fire broke out during the flight, and
the engine later detached completely. The
pilots attempted to reach the airport, but the
aircraft crashed into the forest. All 16 people
on board perished – eight crew members
and eight passengers, who were members of
another crew from the 117th Military Transport
Aviation Regiment.
In Transnistria, a breakaway region of
Moldova, the Russian army lost a Mi-8 helicopter
marked with "yellow 04" on Sunday, March 17.
However, this incident was the result of Russian
provocation. Kremlin propaganda released
a video claiming the helicopter exploded after
being hit by an enemy drone. In reality, the
helicopter had long been decommissioned and
had been stationary for years. It was destroyed
by an explosive device placed on board, and the
drone footage was poorly edited.
Ships at the Bottom
Further losses were suffered by the Russian
Black Sea Fleet. On Tuesday, March 5, the patrol
ship Sergei Kotov from the Project 22160 class
fell victim to a concentrated attack by a swarm
of Ukrainian drones. This was a new ship
that entered service only in July 2022. It was
94 meters long with a displacement of 1,700
tons. Onboard, it carried a 76mm caliber gun
and machine guns. It could also carry Kalibr
missile containers. Near Feodosia in Crimea,
it was struck by multiple drones and sank.
Along with it, a Kamov-type helicopter (Ka-27
or Ka-29), standard equipment for ships of this
class, likely also went down.
The crew of the Sergei Kotov defended
themselves with automatic weapons, but to
no avail. BBC interviewed the commander of
the Ukrainian intelligence unit that controls
drone operations, responsible for the sinking of
five Russian ships. Russian sailors use tracer
ammunition to aim better at night. However,
this also aids drone operators in evasive
maneuvers because they can see where the
Russians are shooting. Magura V5 drones
have a range of 800 km and carry 250 kg of
explosives. Their flat shape does not protrude
high above the water. Made of plastic, they
are harder to detect by radar and emit little
heat, making them undetectable by thermal
cameras. Operating at a speed of 80 km/h
and measuring only six meters long, their
presence at night is difficult to detect. During
a single attack, multiple drones coordinate,
increasing the likelihood of hitting targets. The
entire operation lasts several days as drones
cover distances of hundreds of kilometers.
Operators must maintain control throughout.
Consequently, operators are exhausted after
the operation and require breaks for rest.
On Sunday, March 24, the Ukrainian Air Force
conducted a massive Storm Shadow / Scalp-EG
cruise missile attack on occupied Crimea. The
communication center of the Russian Black Sea
Fleet was destroyed. Three ships in Sevastopol
harbor were damaged. The landing ship Jamal
listed heavily after being hit and was towed
into dry dock. The second landing ship Azov
was likely only slightly damaged after a missile
missed and exploded on the pier next to it. The
spy ship Ivan Churs narrowly avoided one hit
as a missile struck the pier behind it, creating
a large hole in the deck. Satellite imagery
reveals these observations, but the full extent
of the damage is unknown. Belbek Airport
was also targeted, with Ukrainian sources
claiming three Su-27 fighters were hit. One was
destroyed, and two were damaged. However,
this claim could not be verified.
In addition to Scalp-EG missiles, Ukrainians
also use another French weapon. In January,
French President Emmanuel Macron promised
hundreds of AASM HAMMER guided bombs to
Ukraine. They were first used in early February,
and in March, footage of MiG-29 fighters with
these weapons emerged.
Originally Czech Mi-24 helicopter in Ukrainian service. Slovak Mi-17 helicopter in Ukraine. Originally numbered 0847.
krainian military intelligence now operates two Black
Hawk helicopters.
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May 2024