Two Ukrainian fighter jets shot down – Russian MOD

Russian forces shot down two Ukrainian MiG-29 fighter jets in a single 24-hour period this week, the country’s defense ministry said on Saturday, in its daily briefing. Moscow also claimed to have destroyed at least 18 of Kiev’s drones at the frontline in the same timeframe.

The two MiG-29s were downed in Ukraine’s southeastern Dnepropetrovsk Region, the military said. Both fighter jets were targeted by ground-based anti-aircraft systems, it added.

Some 18 unmanned aerial vehicles were downed along the frontline during the same period. The Russian military also reported that it had destroyed two Soviet-era P-18 very high frequency radars, utilized for detecting and tracking aerial targets.

In addition, Moscow also said its forces had taken out two ammunition stockpiles in the region. The depots contained unspecified aircraft ammunition, according to the defense ministry.

In recent weeks, the Russian military has apparently ramped up its efforts to finish off the arguably scarce remnants of the Ukrainian Air Force. Ukraine’s remaining jet fleet is believed to consist mainly of Soviet-era Su-27 and MiG-29 fighters, Su-24 frontline bombers, as well as a handful of Su-25 close air support planes.

The fighter jets have been used almost exclusively by Kiev for attacking ground targets, including with use of Western-supplied munitions adapted for the Soviet-made jets, such as the British-made Storm Shadow missile or its French-made variant SCALP-EG.

Late in October, Russia reported that it had destroyed 24 Ukrainian warplanes over a five-day period. The neutralization of warplanes en-masse became possible after troops received a new anti-aircraft system, Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu revealed at the time.