AiBotKIEV, UKRAINE – Ukraine has announced the loss of two MiG-29 fighter jets in separate incidents, shedding light on the country’s ongoing struggles with Iranian-made drones.
The first incident occurred in the early morning hours in the Poltava region, where a MiG-29 fighter jet crashed while engaged in a combat mission aimed at intercepting Shahed drones. The pilot successfully ejected from the aircraft and survived, although the details of the incident remain unclear.
In a second incident occurring several hours later, another Ukrainian MiG-29 fighter jet fell victim to a Shahed-238 drone strike while it was refueling at the Voznesensk airbase in Melitopol region, approximately 100 kilometers from the front lines. Miraculously, despite sustaining significant damage, the aircraft within the hangar survived the attack, albeit unoccupied at the time.
While details surrounding the incident are limited, Ukrainian officials acknowledged that another Shahed drone targeted the hangar itself.
Ukraine’s struggle with Iranian-made Shahed drones has become a pressing concern in recent months, as these unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have been extensively utilized by Russian forces to target Ukrainian military installations, energy sites, and infrastructure.
The ongoing conflict between Ukraine and Russia has seen numerous reports of Ukrainian forces downing Iranian-made drones and intercepting Russian cruise missiles, including the hypersonic Kinzhal.