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On the evening of February 23, the Russian Aerospace Forces lost another A-50U long-range radar detection aircraft in the rear region. According to preliminary reports, Russian A-50U was shot down in the Krasnodar region.
The attack took place at about 8 p.m. local time in the Kanevsky district. Footage from the region confirmed that the wreckage of an aircraft fell near the village of Trudovaya Armenia:
The local authorities confirmed that an aircraft fell in the area. As a result of the incident a fire broke out near the village. No civilian facilities were damaged. Civilian casualties were avoided. The type of the aircraft was not officially revealed.
More footage filmed by the local residents showed that the aircraft was shot down by a missile and the crew tried its best to avoid the strike, firing heat flares:
Various Russian military sources confirmed the destruction of the Russian A-50U AWACS. Fragments of the tail section of the downed A-50U of the Russian Aerospace Forces was discovered nearby:
The Ukrainian side hurried to declare another victory. The Main Intelligence Directorate of Ukraine has published the alleged track of the Russian A-50 in the Russian rear.
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Despite the Ukrainian claims, it is not clear how the Armed Forces of Ukraine could reach the aircraft. The village where the aircraft crashed is located about 250 kilometers from the frontlines in Ukraine. The Ukrainian military has no weapons to reach such remote targets in the Russian rear, including the US-made HIMARS MLRS. Thus, the friendly fire is the most possible option.
This is likely the second AWACS A-50 aircraft of the Russian Aerospace Forces shot down by friendly fire in the region since the beginning of the year. On January 15, another Russian A-50 was shot down and the Il-22 was damaged over the Sea of Azov.
The Russian military reportedly has 13 A-50 and eight A-50U aircraft, as well as several A-50 aircraft in storage. These are extremely valuable machines that allow the Russian military to detect targets at a great distance and give target designation to long-range air defense systems like the S-400 and fighters with long-range missiles.
