Kyiv Claims Shooting Down two Su-34 Bombers; Russia says it Downed 2 Ukrainian MiG-29 Jets

Ukraine claims it shot down two Russian Su-34 bombers, while its enemy Russia said it downed two Ukrainian MiG-29 jets.

Russian and OSINT researchers reportedly confirmed the loss of two Su-34s on September 24, 2022. A video circulating on social media shows the jets being downed. A LotA analyst examined the video and drew attention to the features of the fuselage of the affected aircraft. He concluded that these were Su-34s.

On September 25, a message was posted in the Fighterbomber Telegram channel claiming that the Ukrainian military had shot down “the two best ones” a day earlier. This expression is consistently being used by the channel admin to indicate the Su-34 bomber jets. The Russian crew members reportedly managed to return safely.

The Ukrainian MiG-29s shot down by Russia were modified to carry American-made HARM missiles. The jets were destroyed over Nikolaev region, official representative of the Russian Ministry of Defense, Lieutenant-General Igor Konashenkov announced on Sunday.

"Fighter aviation of the Russian Aerospace Forces in the areas of the settlements of Novoukrainka and Bashtanka in the Nikolaev region, shot down two MiG-29 aircraft of the Ukrainian Air Force, modified to use American HARM anti-radar missiles," he said.

The Russian armed forces also destroyed seven artillery platoons at the firing positions of three brigades of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and a brigade of territorial defense in the Dnepropetrovsk region, the Donetsk People’s Republic, Nikolaev and Zaporozhye regions

"Seven artillery platoons were hit at the firing positions of the 57th motorized infantry, 10th mountain assault, 24th mechanized brigades of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, as well as the 102nd territorial defense brigade in the areas of the settlements of Lyubimovka in the Dnepropetrovsk region, Markovo, Mayskoye in the Donetsk People's Republic, Shevchenkovo in the Nikolaev region, Zatishye and Rovnopolye in the Zaporozhye region," according to Konashenkov.

Russian aviation, missile troops, and artillery hit 33 artillery units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, as well as forces and military equipment in 178 districts in a day, official representative of the Russian Ministry of Defense. "Operational-tactical and army aviation, missile forces and artillery hit over the day: command post of the battalion of the 80th airborne assault brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine near the city of Nikolaev, points of temporary deployment of foreign mercenaries and the 10th mountain assault brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the western outskirts the city of Zaporozhye and the Druzhkovka region of the Donetsk People's Republic, as well as 33 artillery units, forces and military equipment in 178 districts," Konashenkov added.