Russians search in Black Sea for pilots of downed Su-24M
The Spokesperson of the Air Forces Command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Yurii Ihnat (photo: facebook.com/yuriy ignat)
Russian invaders have dispatched an aircraft in search of the crew of the Su-24M bomber downed today by the Ukrainian military near Zmiinyi Island, according to Yurii Ihnat, the Spokesperson of the Air Forces Command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
The colonel noted that the Russians have deployed an An-26 aircraft for this operation, attempting to locate the pilots of the downed Su-24M bomber in the Black Sea waters.
"At present, the Russian search and rescue aircraft, An-26, is trying to locate Russian pilots in the Black Sea waters - the crew of the Su-24M bomber! Such is their solution. Ends - into the water!" the spokesperson wrote on his Facebook page on Tuesday evening.
The representative of the Air Force also added that the adversary's An-26 does not give up.
"Like vultures, they still circle above the crash site... Eternal submersion, brothers!" the statement stated.
Destruction of the Russian Su-24M
Earlier today, on December 5, the Ukrainian Air Force reported the destruction of a Russian Su-24M bomber. The enemy aircraft was shot down in the vicinity of Snake Island.
As clarified by Ukrainian defenders, the Su-24M of the occupiers was destroyed when it attempted a missile-bombing strike in the southern part of the Odesa region, under the cover of a Su-30SM fighter.
In a comment to RBC-Ukraine, Navy spokesperson Dmytro Pletenchuk stated that the destroyed aircraft had laid mines to damage the grain corridor.
Later in the evening, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked the Armed Forces for downing the Russian Su-24M bomber. The head of state noted that the Defense Forces would continue to subtract terrorists.
Background: The Su-24M is a supersonic frontline bomber, a modernized version of the Su-24. This aircraft was adopted by the Soviet Army in 1985. The Su-24M is part of the Air Force fleet of Ukraine and is also in service with the Russian Aerospace Forces.
The aircraft is designed for precise missile and bomb strikes against ground and surface targets in any weather conditions. It can carry a bomb load of up to 8 tons.
