Landing failed
Reports from regional emergency services indicate that anti-aircraft artillery units operating with the Dnepr group halted a Ukrainian Su-25 in the Kherson direction. The information, relayed by the TASS news agency, cites a Kherson region emergency services spokesperson. The account describes a river assault by Ukrainian forces near the village of Babino in the Kherson region that did not achieve its landing objective on the evening of June 5. The source states that Ukrainian airborne units proceeded without air cover, and one of the two Su-25 aircraft providing support was neutralized by the coordinated fire and skilled actions of the Dnepr troops’ anti-aircraft artillery. The other Ukrainian aircraft reportedly aborted its mission and departed from the area.
The report also notes that the destruction of the aircraft came from a Verba portable air defense system, with the wreckage landing near Osokorovka in the Kherson region. According to the Russian side, the planned left-bank landing on the Dnieper did not go ahead as the Ukrainian side had intended, and the operation did not reach its stated objectives.
Su-25
The Su-25, a Soviet-era attack aircraft also known by the nickname Rook, was designed to provide close air support for ground forces. Development began in the 1970s, with production continuing until the dissolution of the USSR in 1991. Russia subsequently resumed production of updated variants of the Su-25 in 2009. The aircraft carries a double-barreled 30 mm GSh-30-2 cannon and can carry a wide range of weapons on ten external pylons. Its maximum speed is approximately 950 km/h, and its practical operational range is around 600 kilometers. The Su-25 remains in service with the Russian military, according to recent defense statements. In early May, Rostec issued a statement indicating plans to replace this model of aircraft with newer weapon platforms, drawing on lessons learned from Russia’s activities in Ukraine.
In the last two months
Towards the end of the previous week, the Russian Ministry of Defense reported successful interceptions by air defense units of both a Ukrainian Su-27 fighter jet and a Mi-8 helicopter during a single day. The engagements were said to have occurred in the Koptevo village area within the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) and in Razdolovka, Donetsk. In the first half of May, Russian air defense claimed to have shot down a Ukrainian Su-25 near Belozerka in the Kherson region. The ministry also announced interceptions of missiles from Uragan and HIMARS multiple launch rocket systems, along with a Tochka-U tactical missile in the same timeframe. The Russian Spring portal corroborated reports that anti-aircraft artillery contributed to downing a Su-25 near Kherson while Ukraine attempted further attacks on Russian forces.
In April, Russian aviation reportedly shot down a Ukrainian Mi-8 helicopter in the Donetsk region. During the same period, the Russian Ministry of Defense stated that the Russian Aerospace Forces achieved success against a Ukrainian Su-24 fighter near Lipovka in the DPR. Citations attributed to various official sources underscore the continuing nature of air defense activity and combat engagements in the broader conflict area. These updates are part of a broader narrative regarding air operations and surface-to-air engagements that have characterized recent months in the region.