Patriot battery operated by Ukrainians or Americans ?
-fJRoberts-
Too bad, nice looking aircraFT
Are those expensive for Russia to lose? Do they compare to the old Backfire bombers thr Soviets fielded?
This from the 2nd paragraph.
Must be true then.
Andrei, you’ve lost another SU-34? /s
The price of the latest Su-34 fighter bomber aircraft is around US $ 36 Million.
Why are you posting propaganda? The pics are from last year, liar.
Ukraine claimed...
Unconfirmed reports...
I know it this were true, there would be actual evidence. More propaganda.
Remember these same news outlets told you that DJT was a Russian operative.
Kremlin snuff box <- Russian Blogger with an excellent track record.
https://t.me/s/kremlin_secrets
Three of our Su-34s were shot down at once. The pilots are preparing an appeal to the command and do not want to be “suicide bombers”
Regarding the information about our loss of Su-34 aircraft, which were supposed to strike Ukrainian positions in the Kherson region. We learned more about the tragedy from four sources in the VKS.
Firstly, we confirm the information that three of our planes were shot down (this information was first disseminated by the enemy, but then confirmed by our sources). Two pilots survived, four [of the 6 airmen] died.
Secondly , unfortunately, the bad forecasts we wrote about were confirmed. The enemy has strengthened its air defense systems, which means that the level of danger to our aviation has seriously increased.
“Right now we can’t counteract the Western systems that the enemy has at his disposal. Unless we fly less often and don’t come close. But this will reduce the effectiveness of strikes against the enemy,” said one of our interlocutors.
According to him, the Su-34s were almost certainly shot down from the Patriot air defense system, but “it is possible that it was some other Western system.”
Thirdly, according to our information, a number of pilots want to appeal to the command with a request to reduce the number of sorties towards Ukrainian positions. And they are even preparing a corresponding appeal, under which the first signatures have already appeared.
“First we need to solve the problem with their air defense, deal with it (we are constantly promised this, but nothing is done), and then send the guys on missions. Now every one of our pilots is a suicide bomber. This is impossible,” one of the sources in the Aerospace Forces is sure.
Also, according to him, “it would be nice to protect our airfields from missiles and drones .”
“I personally know three pilots who want to leave the army. After today’s tragedy, there will definitely be more of them. This is impossible. We want protection,” said, in turn, one of the most effective Russian pilots with whom we were able to communicate.
We will find out in the coming weeks whether the pilots will be heard by the command. We really hope so. After all, Russia’s military elite should not be an “army of suicide bombers” that loses several planes at once and die en masse.
Given that the Ukrainians lie like they breath, anyone with any knowledge of that fact, can stop reading right there.
If you like aviation videos go to YouTube and search for “Mach Loop”.
The Mach Loop is an area of valleys in Wales with restricted airspace for military planes to practice low-level and high-speed maneuvers (over 500 mph) through difficult terrain.
Photographers are allowed on the ridges and sometimes the planes go through there below the level of the photographers.
Most of the planes that go through there are F-15s and F-35s from “my” old base, RAF Lakenheath in Suffolk (England). Some Bloke (British) planes also go through as well plus cargo planes and a few helicopters.
As of 20 May 2023, there have been 20 visually confirmed cases of Su-34s being lost, damaged or abandoned by Russian forces since the start of the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine.[107] A lack of guided bombs required the Su-34s to fly low for accurate bombing, where they were subjected to heavy Ukrainian air-defenses.[108]
The first Su-34 shot down during combat occurred a few days after the beginning of the war on 28 February 2022, near Buzova airfield.[109][110][111] Other Su-34 aircraft crashes occurred early March,[106][112] 5 March,[113][114][115] and another the same day,[116] 6 March,[117][118] 14 March,[119][120] 25 April,[101][102] 26 April,[121] 18 July,[103][104] 11 September,[122] 24 September[108] and 17 October.[123][108][124] Russia confirmed the loss of more than 10 Su-34s.[53]
It was reported on 3 March 2023 that a Su-34 was shot down over Yenakijeve, Donetsk Oblast.[citation needed][125] On 13 May 2023, a Su-34 of the Russian Aerospace Forces was shot down. According to Russian media, security services in Briansk region are looking for saboteurs who used MANPADS in Klintsy region.[126] - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sukhoi_Su-34#2022_Russian_invasion_of_Ukraine
Why Ukraine Won’t Be Able to “Dig In”
- After the defeated 5 month Ukrainian offensive and with admissions in the Western media that Ukraine’s cross-river offensive in Kherson is a failure, a growing number Ukrainian and Western military and political leaders are talking about Ukraine going on the defensive;
- Ukraine seeks to build Russian-style defensives along the line of contact and use 2024 to build up combat power;
- The main problem facing this strategy is that Ukraine has already in many places dug in since as early as 2014 and yet Russia has been able to overpower and displace Ukrainian forces regardless;
- ussia’s successful defeat of the 2023 Ukrainian offensive was owed as much to its superior firepower as it was to the construction of defensive positions;
- While Russia will not be able to conduct “big arrow” offensives without suffering heavy losses for the same reason Ukraine cannot, the existence of mines covered by artillery, FPV drones and other systems that can target Russian forces as they attempt to breach minefields;
- Russia can continue its war of attrition while placing growing pressure all along the line of contact and exploiting anywhere opportunities begin to form;
- Western commentators continue to interpret the conflict in mere 2 dimensions rather than the 4 dimensions actually required to understand Russia’s long-term strategy and why it has worked;
- The 4th dimension being time, it is important to understand what Ukraine’s combat power will look like a year from now following concerted Russian efforts to target and irreversibly diminish specific capabilities (like air defense, artillery, counter battery fire, and military aviation);