Su-27 fighters have been attacking Russian guided missile batteries.
Recent footage released on Twitter showed what appeared to be fighter jets striking targets on Snake Island in the Black Sea. It is said to have been taken from a Baykar Bayraktar TB-2 drone.
The footage also purportedly showed Ukrainian Air Force Sukhoi Su-27 fighters attacking Russian positions, the action taking place as one of a series of suppression of enemy air defence attacks on Russian guided missile batteries.
According to defence experts, Russian 9K330 Tor tracked low altitude surface-to-air missile (SAM) launching vehicles were struck, as well as two 9K35 Strela-10 tracked SAM launchers. Both are lethal to low flying aircraft.
Bayraktar TB-2s have been engaging elements of the Russian Navy surface fleet, destroying two Raptor Class high speed coastal patrol boats and a Serna Class fast landing craft. This news comes despite the Russian claim to have eradicated the offensive capabilities of the UAF.
Helicopter downed
Also on Twitter, a Ukrainian anti-tank missile destroyed a Russian Kamov Ka-52 Alligator helicopter gunship. Soldiers of the 95th Air Assault Brigade launched the Stugna-P laser guided anti-tank missile, which struck the helicopter in a fireball.
In the clip, shouts of celebration can be heard as the helicopter is destroyed. The veracity of the footage is still unconfirmed, but if it did take place, this loss represents the latest of 10 of the type to have been confirmed as destroyed or captured by the Ukrainians.
Nato interceptions
Nato nations have been patrolling airspace bordering Ukraine, Russia and Belarus with fighter jets, and numerous Russian military aircraft have been intercepted.
Last week, Armée de l'Air Mirage 2000-5F fighters closely monitored a Russian Ilyushin Il-20 intelligence gathering aircraft and its two Sukhoi Su-27 escorts armed with air-to-air missiles as they transited through Baltic airspace bordering Estonia.
On detection, the French jets were scrambled from Ämari Air Force Base, Estonia, where they have been deployed to protect the Baltic states’ air space from Russian incursions.
Aeroflot office raided
Agents from the Russian internal security force FSB – formerly the KGB – raided Aeroflot’s Moscow office after a former deputy CEO urged employees to sabotage Russian military activity in opposition to the war in Ukraine.
Apparently, the agents took computer hard drives and documents from the marketing department. Andrey Panov, former deputy chief executive, wrote an opinion column about the Ukraine “Special Operation” in the Financial Times, calling on his former colleagues to “sabotage the war effort, by delaying or ignoring every deal or contract that supports the military invasion or Russian propaganda.”
Panov resigned after the Russian invasion in late February and wisely emigrated overseas. After the raid, local police contacted marketing and strategy department staff for questioning. This was another example of the clampdown on the Russian population in speaking out against the invasion.
A television broadcaster was arrested for expressing her opposition to the invasion during a live broadcast. She was escorted by armed police from the premises.
