Russian air defense shoots down its own aircraft: UK intelligence gives reason

This was reported by the UK Defense Ministry.

On March 28, the Crimean Telegram channel reported that a Su-27 aircraft flying in the sky over Crimea was shot down by Russian air defense as a result of an accidental strike by its own military. At the time, the so-called governor of Sevastopol, Mikhail Razvozhayev, said that the aircraft had crashed due to a technical malfunction and that the pilot had survived.

The intelligence service reminds that on March 24, Ukraine hit military targets in Crimea. This probably led to an increase in the readiness of Russian air defense on the peninsula.

Previously, there have also been unconfirmed reports of similar cases of "friendly fire," usually in the occupied territory of Ukraine.

"There is a realistic possibility that rather than a technical issue, the increased pressure and tension amongst Russian air defense operators induced by fear of further Ukrainian actions leads to them inadvertently engaging their own pilots and aircraft," the intelligence added.

• On March 28, a Russian military plane crashed in the sea near Sevastopol, the pilot ejected, presumably due to Russian air defense.