Russia Naval battle on the Black Sea - Russian jet hit

According to consistent reports, Ukraine and Russia have engaged in a naval and air battle in the Black Sea. However, the accounts of both sides only mentioned part of the events.

Ukraine's military intelligence service announced that a Russian Su-30 fighter jet had been shot down with a portable anti-aircraft weapon during a special operation at sea. No further details about the mission on Wednesday night were given in Kiev.

On Wednesday, the Russian Ministry of Defense reported a failed attempt by Ukraine to attack a Russian drilling platform in the Black Sea with fast motorboats. Eight of 14 boats were shot down and sunk. The other boats had turned away. There was no confirmation of these details.

There was initially no mention in Moscow of the loss of an aircraft. However, the Russian military blog Rybar, which is close to the ministry, reported that an Su-30 had been shot down during the defense against the Ukrainian attack. The aircraft had taken off from the Russian military airfield at Saki on the Crimean peninsula.

There are sporadic skirmishes around the oil and gas platforms in the north of the Black Sea between Crimea and the Ukrainian mainland. The main objective for both sides is to use the captured facilities as scout and reconnaissance posts.

Despite the Russian war of aggression, Kiev controls the western part of the sea to such an extent that international shipping can call at Ukrainian ports such as Odessa largely unhindered.

SDA