The Kremlin spokesman could not answer a question about this during a press conference. “We have no information about it,” Dmitry Peskov said, then pointed to the Russian Defense Ministry, which has generally remained silent about its losses since the start of the Russian invasion.
“I would like to thank the Air Force for this perfectly planned and executed operation in the Sea of Azov region! », Reacted the commander-in-chief of the Ukrainian army Valery Zalouzhny. According to Kiev, an A-50, a radar and air guidance aircraft equivalent to the AWACS used by NATO, crashed in the Sea of Azov. The second aircraft, an Il-22 serving as a command post, was hit but managed to land in Anapa in southern Russia. However, the damage is so extensive that it is considered “destroyed,” according to the Ukrainian Air Force spokesman. Yuri Ignat.
“It can't be 'fixed,'” he said, sharing a photo of a badly damaged plane.
Hard blow for Moscow
AFP is unable to verify these claims from the Ukrainian side. Yuri Ignat added that the plane “caught fire” and that there were “injured people” among the crew. These aircraft are used for reconnaissance, target identification and force coordination.
Several generally well-informed Russian military bloggers were vague about the A-50 and IL-22 incidents, but confirmed casualties and damage. The Telegram channel WarGonzo was moved by “the death of our fighters” in relation to the A-50 and also claimed that the second aircraft appeared to be able to “land” despite being damaged.
The widely respected broadcaster Rybar, which is close to the Russian army, spoke on Sunday evening of a “dark day” for the Russian air force, “if the information is confirmed.”