Ukraine's intelligence and Air Force destroy Russian A-50 near Azov Sea
supplemented
A Russian A-50 aircraft was destroyed in a joint operation by the Main Directorate of Intelligence and the Air Forces, with confirmation from Air Force Commander Mykola Oleshchuk and a report from a LIGA.net source in the security and defense forces.
Russian sources reported the destruction of the A-50 in the Azov Sea area within the last hour. Subsequently, videos claiming to be from the site began to appear.
The LIGA.net source confirmed the information about the aircraft being shot down and reported on the joint operation by the HUR and the Air Forces.
No further details about the aircraft's destruction are currently available.
The first video, purportedly from the scene, shows Russians off-camera discussing how the plane releases flares, followed by a missile strike. The footage captures several bright spots in the sky, an explosion, and the gradual descent of two points. The video ends with the sound of an explosion.
The second video identifies the location as Trudovaya Armenia, a hamlet in the Krasnodar Krai of Russia. A Russian woman says a helicopter fell, there was a big explosion, and "it's burning very strongly." The video shows flames and smoke on the ground near a building.
The third video has a Russian man saying something fell in Trudovaya Armenia and shows a fire and smoke near buildings. The operator says that a plane or "something" has fallen and notes that there are more explosions. He also says that "another one" fell across the road, possibly referring to another aircraft or debris.
Trudovaya Armenia is a hamlet in the Krasnodar Krai of Russia. It is about 205 km away from the nearest territory controlled by Ukraine. The first video also mentions a reservoir near Trudovaya Armenia, known as Liman Sladkiy, and a hamlet with the same name.
UPDATED AT 20:12. Air Force Commander Mykola Oleshchuk officially confirmed this information.
He thanked the Main Directorate of Intelligence and "everyone who ensured the result."
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