Ukrainian fighter fell fighting with Shahid

The Ukrainian Air Force managed to shoot down 19 “kamikaze drones” on October 12 (probably only the heavy Shahids 136 and 131, since fighting light machines is the defense of ground forces and volunteer troops), five Ka-52 helicopters (including during a battle in the Kherson region) and two Maneuver missiles.

“For unspecified technical reasons, the pilot began to lose control of the engine, but did everything possible to remove the plane from Vinnytsia and catapult it” – reads the message.

So the plane was not a victim of the enemy, but had to go down for unknown reasons, which is currently being investigated. The pilot was able to catapult safely, and is in the Ukrainian highlands near Vinnytsia, so he will return to the unit. The aircraft may fall victim to wear and tear or extreme exploitation. The fighter fought Shahid at low altitude and maneuvered so violently that he lost control.

The pilot (probably on the same machine) shot down five Shahits 135s in one day – three in southern Ukraine and two – over Vinnytsia, and destroyed two cruise missiles on October 11, according to the report. So there are many signs of pilot burnout or fatigue. Commander of the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, General Mykola Oleschuk, petitioned to award him the Order of Hero of Ukraine.

Shahid-136 drones are relatively large and fast for unmanned aircraft, but they are easy to spot and fly low. They are also noisy, which makes them relatively easy to spot and shoot. Their advantage, however, was a strong warship and a large number. Ukrainians use not only ground defense systems but also fighter aircraft to fight them, however, resources are limited.

Before the war, Ukraine had 51 MiG-29s and 32 Su-27s in service. Since then, at least 20 MiG-29s have been flown due to the supply of parts from the West. Confirmed losses so far are at least 13 MiG-29 and 5 Su-27.