Ukrainian Air Defense Forces strike Russian aircraft using factor of surprise - Captain Ryzhenko

He said this on Espreso.

"The downed 7 Russian aircraft are the result of the work of the Ukrainian Air Defense Forces. They analyzed the enemy's work and, using the factor of surprise, placed Patriot batteries in certain places and hit the Russian aircraft," Ryzhenko said.

According to him, the aircraft that shoot down Ukrainian forces are mostly launching barrage bombs, which are usually launched at a distance from the front line, without crossing it, 30-40 kilometers away.

"Thanks to these characteristics, they can cross the front line and hit targets already on our controlled territories. In recent weeks, the Russians have intensified the use of these aircraft, both in terms of their impact on our military positions and on the civilian population," Ryzhenko said.

The Ukrainian Air Defense Forces use appropriate variants of anti-aircraft missile systems. Basically, it is Patriot, he noted.

"The Patriot has so-called containers that are connected to the main machine, the radar, which gives the command to launch the missile. When we move any military equipment to an area that is close to the front, the risk increases. But then we look for other ways to reduce this risk. Perhaps they use camouflage means. It is also possible to use old Soviet systems, but with Western missiles. Judging by the range, it is most likely that modern systems were used in these cases," added Captain 1st Rank of the Ukrainian Navy Reserve.

• On the morning of Saturday, February 17, the Ukrainian Air Force shot down three enemy aircraft at once - two Su-34 fighter-bombers and a Su-35 fighter jet.
• On Sunday, February 18, the Air Force reported another downing of a Russian Su-34 fighter-bomber. In addition, during a nighttime attack by the Russian Federation, air defense forces eliminated 12 Shaheds and an enemy missile.
• Later, Ukrainian fighters shot down two more Russian aircraft.
• On February 21, the Ukrainian military downed another Russian Su-34 fighter jet, the 7th enemy aircraft to be shot down by the Air Force this week.
• Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that one of the main tasks for the state this year is air defense, noting the destruction of 7 Russian aircraft during the week.