Ukraine puts air force on high combat readiness as Russian warplanes approach its borders
On Thursday, the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine observed provocative actions by Russian Aerospace Forces for the second time in March, as reported on Facebook by the Air Force Command.
“Fighter and bomber aircraft of the aggressor country carried out flights from the Shaikivka, Krymsk and Belbek airfields and closely approached the Ukrainian border, the line of delimitation between the mainland of Ukraine and the Crimea; they came within 40 km of the shoreline of the Black Sea, and also flew along the coasts of Romania, Bulgaria and Turkey. In addition, a group of long-range strategic Tu-22 strike bombers, fully equipped with ammunition, flew in the airspace of Crimea, the Sea of Azov and the Black Sea. They were accompanied by a couple of Su-30 fighters. The aircraft trained certain conditional targets for striking,” the report said.
The commanders of the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine believe that such actions of the Russian Federation’s air unit is primarily a reaction to the next phase of the command and staff training conducted by the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The goal was to train a conditional blockade of the Bosporus Strait.
“After identifying the threat posed by the aggressor country, all special and defense forces were put on high combat readiness to provide resistance in the event that aircraft from the Russian Aerospace Forces are engaged. The Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine is on 24-hour readiness duty,” the report said.