The defense minister claimed new weapons were involved in the strikes Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu meets troops. © Russian Ministry of Defense
Russian forces downed 24 Ukrainian military planes in just five days, Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu has claimed, crediting “new weapons systems” for the achievement.
The official commented on Ukrainian losses on Wednesday during a ceremony to award troops with military decorations. Discussing the frontline situation, Shoigu stated that Kiev had “increasingly fewer capabilities” thanks to the actions of troops such as the ones being honored.
“We now have weapons systems which have taken down 24 planes in five days,” the minister was quoted as saying in a press release.
Footage of the discussion published by the military did not include the comments about the new weapons, while Shoigu did not detail the time frame in which the strikes on Ukrainian aircraft were conducted.
The Defense Ministry regularly reports successful engagements of Ukrainian military aircraft by fighter jets and air defense units. Briefings from last Friday to Tuesday claimed that 18 planes had been destroyed in total.
The list included 14 MiG-29s, two Su-24s, one Su-25, and one L-39. The latter is a Czech-produced trainer-fighter plane, rather than a more capable fighter or ground attack plane like the others. A single Mi-8 helicopter was taken down in the same period, according to the ministry.
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The ministry’s briefing on Friday noted that in the week starting October 14, Russian forces took out 12 Ukrainian planes, including ten MiG-29s and two Su-25s. Seven of the MiGs were destroyed in a 24-hour period, the report said.
Shoigu attended the award ceremony after visiting one of the headquarters involved in the Ukrainian campaign. It was held in a tent in which weapons trophies appeared to be on display alongside portraits of Russian military commanders and Orthodox icons.
