Air Force Confirms Downing of Another Russian Fighter Jet

On Saturday evening, the Ukrainian Air Force reported that they’d shot down yet another Russian fighter jet.

“The East Air Command confirms the downing of a Su-34 fighter bomber. Unfortunately, only one,” Air Force Commander Mykola Oleshchuk wrote in his 6 p.m. March 2 Telegram.

About an hour before that post, Oleshchuk had reported that the Ukrainian Air Force had fired on two Russian combat aircraft, a Su-34 and a Su-35 with anti-aircraft missiles.

“It is becoming more and more difficult for the invaders to fly, and we need more systems, more weapons to clear our skies!” Oleshchuk wrote.

The Ukrainian military has had great success of late knocking out Russian aircraft.

From Feb. 17-29 in engagements across the front, the Russian Air Force suddenly started losing aircraft and pilots to Ukrainian missiles at a disconcerting pace. By March 1 the Kyiv kill tally according to the Ukrainian military was 11 Su-34 attack jets along with two even more expensive Su-35 air superiority jets costing $85 million per airframe.

On Saturday, Ukrainian Air Forces spokesman Yuriy Ihnat said that the Ukrainians have not been seeing Russian A-50s, the planes that act as eyes for their bombers.

“Su-34 and Su-35 can no longer feel free. A guided aerial bomb has a limited range. In order to reach further away, you need to fly closer. It can be a one-way ticket to fly closer,” he said.

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