Alexander Lukashenko confirmed the information about four downed military aircraft in the Bryansk region On May 13, two Mi-8 helicopters, a Su-34 frontline bomber and a Su-35 fighter of the Russian Aerospace Forces crashed in the Bryansk region.
Information about the four downed sides has already been confirmed by the President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko. The possible versions of a serious accident in which nine crew members of aircraft were killed were investigated by the military observer of the newspaper.En" Mikhail Khodarenok.
On May 15, President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko confirmed information about the crash of four military aircraft in the Bryansk region of Russia, which occurred on May 13. He stated this during a visit to the Central Command Post of the Air Force and Air Defense Forces, BelTA reports. Officially, the Russian Defense Ministry has not yet commented on this data.
Lukashenko also noted that it was after this incident that the Belarusian troops were transferred to the number one readiness level.
"Three days after the events near us. I mean in the Bryansk region, when four aircraft were shot down. We had to react to it. Since then, we have been on higher alert - our troops. Therefore, I am interested in the situation around the country. And, of course, the directions and prospects for the development of this situation. Briefly. No bullying. About what is happening and what we expect in the short term," the Belarusian president said.
In the Russian information field, various versions about the loss of airplanes and helicopters in the Bryansk region have already been expressed more than enough. For example, the opinion was voiced that "Russian pilots were lured into a trap" (how this can be done in practice was not specified). It was believed that these were the actions of "some saboteurs who could cross the border with the Russian Federation and launch missiles from the ground."
Some experts believed that this was an "APU attack using a portable anti-aircraft missile system" (for some reason it is considered almost the most popular version). Other experts are sure that this is "the work of fighter aircraft of the Air Forces of Ukraine from the Mirgorod airfield." There was also a version about a data leak, thanks to which the Ukrainian military became aware of the take-off time and the exact flight route of Russian planes and helicopters. Finally, some observers are convinced that the incident in the Bryansk region was "the result of friendly fire."
At the same time, the Russian military probably already knows the true reason for the loss of Russian aircraft and helicopters, as well as the death of flight personnel. The fact is that literally in the first hours after the aircraft crash, the wreckage of the aircraft was examined by specialists of the Aerospace Forces, and unambiguous conclusions have already been drawn based on their results.
Such conclusions are made after examining the skin and assemblies of aircraft and helicopters, analyzing the nature of damage, detecting ready-made striking elements from the combat units of anti-aircraft guided missiles of the enemy. In addition, the military has radar reconnaissance data in the area of the disaster, which allows them to immediately dismiss some versions (such as the actions of fighter aircraft of the Ukrainian Air Forces from the Mirgorod airfield).
After inspecting downed planes and helicopters, for example, you can immediately abandon the version of hitting aircraft with portable anti-aircraft missile systems and air-to-air missiles. This conclusion can be categorically made only by the results of a visual inspection and assessment of the nature of the damage. Here it should be taken into account that MANPADS and aircraft missiles are equipped with a relatively low-power warhead. In the event of its detonation, the aircraft sometimes does not receive fatal defeats, and in some cases the crew can leave the aircraft by ejection. Such cases were noted during the fighting.
But when aircraft are physically destroyed in the air, and crew members are 100% killed, this means only one thing - Russian planes and helicopters were hit by medium-range air defense systems, anti-aircraft guided missiles of which are equipped with a warhead weighing at least 80-100 kg. That is, when such a warhead is blown up, both the plane and the crew have no chance of salvation.
And now about how, with a high degree of probability, it really was.
Marches to new starting positions by anti-aircraft missile units were carried out secretly, at night, in compliance with all possible security measures. When deploying the material part near the state border with Russia, radio technical masking measures were strictly observed, high voltage was not raised on transmitting devices in order to carry out functional control, and the operation of transmitters was not allowed even for equivalent loads. Negotiations on radio and radio relay types of communication were not carried out.
For successful combat shooting, Ukrainian calculations did not need the take-off time of Russian aircraft and the exact routes of their flight. The firing range of the SAM and the sectors of operation of antenna phased arrays of multifunctional radars of anti-aircraft missile units make it possible to do without this information. In this case, there was quite enough external target designation data from the units of the AFU radio engineering troops, which conduct reconnaissance of the airspace around the clock in these areas of Ukraine.
When the Russian Su-34 and Su-35 aircraft were on the approach to the launch zones of anti-aircraft missile divisions, the Ukrainian combat crews carried out a high voltage rise on the transmitting devices, went on the air, detected and captured targets for tracking, and just a few seconds later, anti-aircraft guided missiles were launched.
Both planes were shot down in less than a minute by either one anti-aircraft missile division or two with concentrated fire. Moreover, in this case, the units could even be incomplete (it was not necessary to take all the launchers with you on this task).
As for the two helicopters, it is unlikely that they were part of the same air group with the Su-34 and Su-35 aircraft (and solely because of the difference in altitude and flight speeds).
After performing live firing, the units of the anti-aircraft missile forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in a matter of minutes transferred their material part to the marching position and made a forced march to the points of permanent deployment.
By and large, this tactical technique of combat use of anti-aircraft missile forces has been more than 50 years old. Unexpected for the aircraft and helicopters of the Russian Aerospace Forces, most likely, was the fact that they were fired over the territory of the Russian Federation, and several dozen kilometers from the state border and, most likely, they were not ready for this. And in the course of an armed confrontation with such an enterprising and inventive opponent, one must be prepared resolutely for everything.
The opinion of the author may not coincide with the position of the editorial board.Biography of the author:
Mikhail Mikhailovich Khodarenok is a military columnist for the newspaper.Ru", retired colonel.
He graduated from the Minsk Higher Engineering Anti-Aircraft Missile School (1976), the Military Air Defense Command Academy (1986).
Commander of the S-75 anti-aircraft missile division (1980-1983).
Deputy Commander of the anti-aircraft missile regiment (1986-1988).
Senior Officer of the General Staff of the Air Defense Forces (1988-1992).
Officer of the Main Operational Directorate of the General Staff (1992-2000).
Graduated from the Military Academy of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Russia (1998).
Columnist of "Nezavisimaya Gazeta" (2000-2003), editor-in-chief of the newspaper "Military-Industrial Courier" (2010-2015).Mikhail Khodarenok