Ukrainian 28th brigade downs Russian Su-25 in Donetsk Oblast in rare interception

Feb 8, 2025 - 19:00

Ukrainian forces on the front line have shot down a Russian Su-25 attack aircraft—a significant achievement confirmed by the press service of the Ukrainian unit tasked with hunting down enemy “birds.”

The Su-25—unofficially known as “Grach” and “Frogfoot” by NATO classification—is a heavily armored, subsonic ground-attack plane designed in the Soviet Union. Entering service in 1981, it was produced for immediate close air support of ground troops within direct visual range and for striking pre-designated targets around the clock in any weather.

The soldiers of the 28th Separate Mechanized Brigade named after the Knights of the Winter Campaign of the Ukrainian Ground Forces—which is part of the “South” operational command—downed the Russian plane.

“The fighters of the 28th Brigade have destroyed an enemy Su-25! Another Russian ground-attack aircraft is one less on the Toretsk front thanks to our air defense troops,” they said.

The last time, Ukrainian forces downed SU-25 in August of the previous year, when this same brigade demonstrated its combat effectiveness, per UNIAN.

On 6 January, Ukraine achieved a significant milestone in its air defense capabilities by intercepting a Russian guided aerial bomb (KAB) near the city of Zaporizhzhia.

Ukraine’s military relies on 70% international aid for frontline equipment

While the Air Force confirmed this wasn’t their first such interception, reports suggest an “experimental weapon” was used, causing the bomb to crash on the city’s outskirts. The Air Force maintained operational secrecy around specific methods.

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