Ukrainians shoot down 'Russia's eyes in the sky'. The second aircraft falls victim to friendly fire
3:17 AM EST, January 15, 2024
The RBC Ukraine service, referencing sources in the army, suggests that Ukrainians shot down two Russian planes over the Sea of Azov on Sunday. One was the Il-22M model; its pilot reportedly attempted an emergency landing at the Anapa airport.
The second plane is the A-50. If this information is confirmed, it represents a significant setback for the Russian army. The A-50 is a four-engine early warning plane, essentially a Russian AWACS. Ukrinform also confirms the downing of the A-50 by Ukrainians.
The aircraft reportedly disappeared from the radar in the Kyrylivka region of Zaporizhzhia oblast at around 3:15 PM Eastern Time. Subsequently, the pilot of the Russian Su-30 reportedly alerted that an unidentified plane had caught fire and crashed. This aircraft was assumed to have crashed into the Sea of Azov.
Did the Russians accidentally shoot down their own plane?
Interestingly, the Telegram channel administered by the South Defense Forces of the Ukrainian army posted a message noting that Russia has three A-50 models and six A-50U models in service. Each unit costs around 330 million dollars. These planes, as the post explains, "help locate Ukrainian targets, such as air defense systems and planes, and aim at them".
As per the WCzK-OGPU channel on Telegram, the Russian Il-22M was not downed by the Ukrainians but was hit by Russian friendly fire during an air alarm in the vicinity of the Crimean Bridge.
The post's author mentions that the timing of the bridge closure, the plane's position, and the moment it was hit all line up. This theory is also supported by Russian channels operated by military propaganda bloggers.
