Two Ukrainian fighter jets shot down as Kiev accuses Moscow of sending more arms

[tfcrew]

July 23, 2014FoxNews.comDONETSK, Ukraine –  Two Ukrainian military fighter jets were reportedly shot down over the nation’s contested eastern region on Wednesday, even as U.S. and Ukrainian sources said Russian weaponry has been pouring in to separatists following the downing of a Malaysian passenger plane last week.
The Ukrainian Defense Ministry said two Sukhoi-25 fighters were shot down Wednesday afternoon over an area called Savur Mogila. The planes may have been carrying up to two crew members each, according to Defense Ministry spokesman Oleksiy Dmitrashkovsky.  The pilots ejected from the planes but it is not known if they survived, Fox News confirms. A search party is out looking for them.
Reuters reported that Kiev blamed the latest incident on pro-Russian separatists, who are suspected of downing Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 last Thursday, killing all 298 aboard. Although Russia has denied supplying the ethnic Russian separatists with sophisticated Buk surface-to-air missile batteries, the kind suspected of bringing down MH-17, Ukrainian defense officials say heavy weaponry is flowing into the Donetsk region that the separatists now control.

Begs the question from me...

Why just fly around just to get taken out?
Don't they have a target?
Piss poor air force shouldn't fly at all.

[Gator]

Begs the question from me...

Why just fly around just to get taken out?
Don't they have a target?
Piss poor air force shouldn't fly at all.

They were likely supporting ground combat.   Ukraine and the rebels had continued to engage each other during this past week, some of the combat taking place near the crash site.

I read that the Ukrainian had been making progress in reclaiming territory from the rebels.  A key reason was air support.  That is why the Russians sent anti-aircraft weaponry to the rebels.  Things have changed. 

I do not know how well equipped the Ukrainian aircraft are for detecting Buk radar and taking out Buk batteries.  They may indeed stop flying unless they are given modern electronics intelligence and electronic countermeasures to suppress Buk batteries. 

[fathertime]

Yup no fear of US sanctions...and the UK just approved a large sale of arms to Russia.  That just happened a few hours ago.

Fathertime!

[tfcrew]

They were likely supporting ground combat.   

OK, so now the troops on the ground are screwed?

[Boethius]

It is alleged the planes were shot at from Russian territory.

[jone]

It seems very unusual that the Washington Times would break a story of this magnitude.  If true, it is a mis-step by the US.

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/jul/22/pentagon-team-dispatched-to-ukraine-amid-crisis-wi/?page=2

Further, a commentary by a Steve Ganyard states that Russia really wants a 'face saving way to avoid an international investigation' and is willing to back away from Eastern Ukraine.  This guy is either smoking something or is incredibly naive.  Either way, the US should not be sending military support to Ukraine.

[tfcrew]

Forgot my link.....

http://www.foxnews.com/world/2014/07/23/2-ukrainian-military-fighter-jets-shot-down-in-eastern-ukraine/

[Gator]

Reports say the jet fighters were flying at 17,000 ft altitude.  Too high to be actively supporting ground troops.   I am not sure a shoulder-fired missile would reach that height. 

[Muzh]

It seems very unusual that the Washington Times would break a story of this magnitude.  If true, it is a mis-step by the US.

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/jul/22/pentagon-team-dispatched-to-ukraine-amid-crisis-wi/?page=2

Further, a commentary by a Steve Ganyard states that Russia really wants a 'face saving way to avoid an international investigation' and is willing to back away from Eastern Ukraine.  This guy is either smoking something or is incredibly naive.  Either way, the US should not be sending military support to Ukraine.

It is the Washington Times. DUH!