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Ukrainian media recently reported the death of six Ukrainian pilots of the 18th Brigade of Army Aviation in the Artyomovsk (Bakhmut) direction. The reports raised suspicions that two Ukrainian Mi-8 helicopters were shot down at once over the Donbass frontlines. On August 31, the Ukrainian military officials were forced to admit the losses, revealing the details of the incident.
It turned out that two Ukrainian Mi-8 helicopters crashed while trying to escape from Russian Su-35S fighter.
The incident took place in the area of Kramatorsk on August 29th. The speaker of the Eastern Group of Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine declared that “two Mi-8 helicopters were performing a combat mission. While they were taking off, a Russian Su-35 fighter took off. In order to avoid a possible defeat, they decided to turn back.” During their landing the helicopters crashed.
None of the pilots survived. Investigators are establishing the details and circumstances of what caused the crash.
On August 25, two Ukrainian aircraft collided in the Zhytomyr region during a training flight. Three pilots died in th incident.
Since the very beginning of the Russian military operation, the Air Force of Ukraine has been suffering heavy losses in aircraft. Kiev also lost a lot of professional pilots in hostilities. As a result, incompetence became a great challenge for the Ukrainian Air Force.
