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UPDATE: On March 1, 7 Ukrainian pilots were awarded the titles of Hero of Ukraine posthumously.
By February 28th, the Russian military gained air supremacy over the whole of Ukraine, Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said at a briefing.
On February 27th, the Russian Defence Ministry claimed the destruction of 42 Ukrainian aircraft and helicopters on the ground and in the air. So far, 11 unmanned aerial vehicles of the Ukrainian Armed Forces have been reportedly destroyed. Four more Ukrainian combat aircraft were destroyed on the ground and one more warplane was reportedly shot down in the air on February 28th.
On the first day of the Russian military operation numerous military facilities all over Ukraine were destroyed, including airfields.
Satellite image of the airfield in Gostomel, where the world’s largest transport aircraft An-225 “Mriya” was stored.
According to open sources, the main acting and spare military airfields in Ukraine were located in the following cities:
- Alexandria, Boryspil;
- Brody, Lviv;
- Vasilkov;
- Gavrishovka;
- Ivano-Frankivsk
- Chernihiv
- Kulbakino, Mykolaiv (Mykolaiv region)
- Kalinov, Lviv
- Lutsk, Volyn region
- Melitopol, Zaporozhye region
- Mirgorod, Poltava region
- Nizhyn, Chernihiv region
- Ozernoye, Zhytomyr region
- Starokonstantinov, Khmelnitsky region
- Chernobayevka, Kherson region
- Chuguev, Kharkiv region
- Poltava
- Bila Tserkva, Kiev region
- Voznesensk, Mykolaiv region
- Kolomyia, Ivano-Frankivsk region
- Kalinovka, Vinnytsia region
- Kanatovo, Kirovograd region
- Kramatorsk, Donetsk region
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On February 24th, the Russian Ministry of Defense confirmed strikes on the military airfields of Kramatorsk, Ozernoye, Kulbakino, Vasilkov. Later, most of other airfields were destroyed, including in Western Ukraine.
According to the footage, the main losses in aircraft were suffered by the both sides during the first three days of the Russian military operation in Ukraine.
The helicopter in the Russian VKS destroys the Ukrainian military column.
Ukrainian losses which were confirmed by the footage.
A military aircraft of the Armed Forces of Ukraine was shot down in the Obukhov district, to the South of Kiev. It was a large cargo aircraft An-26. According to the Ukrainian Emergencies Ministry, 5 people were killed.
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Su-27 of the Ukrainian Air Force was destroyed at the airfield near Zhytomyr.
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The Ukrainian Su-27 fighter jet was shot down over Oskorki village near Kiev.
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The strike hit the airfield in Ivano-Frankivsk, where at least 6 MiG-29 of the Ukrainian Air Force were destroyed or damaged.
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Two Su-25s of the Ukrainian Air Force were shot down in the Kherson region. Both pilots were killed.
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The Tor-M air defense system of the Russian Armed Forces shot down the Ukrainian Bayraktar UAV in the Kiev region, near Chernobyl.
Russian losses which were confirmed by the footage:
The Russian Ka-52 Alligator attack helicopter was hit by a Stinger MANPADS on February 24 during the landing at Gostomel airfield.
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Another incident took place on February 24th. The Russian AN-26 crashed on the territory of the Voronezh region in Russia. The crew was killed. According to preliminary data, the reason of the incident was a technical failure.
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More videos of the air battles over Ukraine were shared online, but the exact aircraft were not confirmed.
Another Russian helicopter was reportedly shot down over Gostomel.
The following video reportedly shows another downed Russian helicopter in the Kiev region. According to some other reports, it was a Ukrainian aircraft.
The pilot ejected.
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On February 26, Stinger reportedly shot down a Russian helicopter in Kakhovka.
The Russian Su-27/30 was probably shot down in the Kherson region. The reports are yet to be confirmed.
The Ukrainian air defense system reportedly hit the aircraft of the Russian Aerospace Forces over Zhytomyr.
The following video reportedly shows the Ukrainian Su-25s which were shot down on February 24th over the Kherson region.
A Russian military aircraft reportedly shot down a Ukrainian fighter jet during an air battle over the Kharkiv region.
Ukrainian soldiers are actively using foreign MANPADS, targeting Russian aircraft (not only Russian).
Ukrainian Su-25 snatched from Russian MANPADS.
More air battles over Ukraine were captured on videos.
According to the Ukrainian media, MiGs of the Armed Forces of Ukraine were fighting against Russian MiGs over Kiev. However, no evidence of fighting is seen on the video.
Video of an air battle near Vasilkov.
On February 24th, Russian forces carried out a landing at the Gostomel airfield with the air support of dozens of attack helicopters.
Russian helicopter took off from a highway in Belorussia
The Mi-24 attack helicopter of the Russian Air Force strikes Ukrainian security forces near the Gostomel airfield in support of the landing.
A massive attack by Russian helicopters on Vyshgorod.
The passage of the Ka-52 Alligator attack helicopter of the Russian Armed Forces over Mezhyhirya with the shooting of “heat traps”.
About 100 more helicopters of the Russian Federation are waiting 30-40km from the Ukrainian border.
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MORE ON THE TOPIC:
- War In Ukraine Day 5: Russian Advance Faces Ukrainian Stand Off, While Kiev Wins Ideological War (Video, 18+)
- War In Ukraine Day 4: Hard Battles In The Cities. International Situation Deteriorating (Videos, Photos, 18 +)
- War In Ukraine Day 3: Russia’s Advance Slowed Down. Ukrainian Forces Resist (Videos 18+)
