One of Russia’s nine operational A-50 command planes was reportedly destroyed (Picture: E2W)
One of Russia’s most valuable military planes has been shot down near Ukraine, according to reports.
The £260 million Beriev A-50 was lost over the Sea of Azov to the south of the frontline, reported Ukrainian military media agencies, citing sources in Ukraine’s armed forces.
The Soviet-era command and reconnaissance plane uses high-range radar to detect missiles and planes on the battlefield while issuing orders to Russian fighter jets.
It’s thought Vladimir Putin’s forces now only have eight operational A-50s left in their entire fleet.
Its tactical importance likely means there were senior officers on board, although it was not immediately clear whether anyone survived the downing.
According to the RBC-Ukraine agency, the A-50 was shot down by the Ukrainian military soon after beginning a patrol near Kyrylivka at around 9.10pm on Thursday.
A Russian pilot was reportedly heard in intercepted communications telling commanders he witnessed the plane catch fire and fall from the sky.
The Militarniy agency reported that the plane may have instead been downed by friendly fire.
‘This is for Dnipro! Burn in hell, you inhumans! PS No details yet,’ Ukrainian Air Force Commander General Mykola Oleshchuk wrote on Telegram shortly after the incident, although he did not refer to it directly.
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