Ukraine’s military intelligence agency reported that they collaborated with the Ukrainian Air Force to shoot down a Russian A-50U aircraft over the Sea of Azov.
“The destroyed A-50U is a new upgraded Russian version of the aircraft. The cost of such an aircraft, of which there are only a few left in Russia, is $350 million,” the intelligence announcement said.
According to Ukrainian intelligence, the plane crashed near the Russian coastal city of Yeysk in Krasnodar Krai.
Earlier, Ukrainian Air Force Commander Mykola Oleshchuk confirmed the downing of another Russian A-50 radar command aircraft over the Sea of Azov.
“We greet Russians on Armed Forces Day! You should be celebrating at home!” Oleshchuk wrote on Telegram.
???????? has shot down another Russian A-50 radar plane, confirmed ???????? Air Force Commander Mykola Oleshchuk. The valuable aircraft crashed across the Sea of Azov.
"We greet Russians on Armed Forces Day! You should be celebrating at home!" Oleshchuk wrote.
???? https://t.co/uRjDhFqJUo pic.twitter.com/KodudY2A4c
— Euromaidan Press (@EuromaidanPress) February 23, 2024
Russian Telegram channels report the plane crashed in Russia’s Krasnodar krai. Witnesses in the village of Trudovaya Armeniya saw the burning aircraft go down.
According to unconfirmed reports, ???????? forces have shot down another Russian A-50 aircraft, a highly valuable radar command plane that serves as Russia's "eye in the sky."
The plane allegedly crashed in Russia's Krasnodar region across the Sea of Azov.
???? https://t.co/USLwZMGneK pic.twitter.com/7x7XUY69Ke— Euromaidan Press (@EuromaidanPress) February 23, 2024
The A-50 is a highly valuable radar command plane that serves as Russia’s “eye in the sky” guiding strikes on Ukraine.
This follows another Russian A-50 downed by Ukraine on 14 January over the Sea of Azov. Prior to Russia’s full-scale invasion, Moscow had six such aircraft total. One was damaged in a helicopter attack in Belarus, and two have now been lost near the Azov Sea.
“These losses are extremely painful for Russia, and they have no absolute means to replenish them,” military analyst Yigal Levin wrote on Telegram.
Just like last time, Russian military bloggers claim this was a case of “friendly fire.”
Read more:
- Ukraine downs another Russian A-50 radar plane
- Russia reportedly loses valuable AWACS A-50 aircraft over Azov Sea (updates)
- Ukraine Air Force: Russian colonel, junior officers were on board of destroyed A-50 AWACS plane
- UK: New Russian A-50 radar plane kept distant from Ukraine after previous one downed