What level of skill do Russian pilots have: Svitan named 2 main categories

For almost two years of a full-scale invasion, the Armed Forces of Ukraine destroyed 331 aircraft and 324 helicopters , and also sent several hundred Russian pilots on an “eternal flight”. The ranks of Russian military aviation have thinned significantly.

About this Channel 24said reserve colonel of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, pilot-instructor, military expert Roman Svitan, noting that the professionalism of a pilot depends on the number of hours he spent in the air.

Are there any experienced pilots left in Russia

As the instructor pilot noted, a number of professional Russian pilots died in the war in Ukraine, but not the best. After all, at that time they were in reserve or already retired. Russian pilots who were in service during the invasion died.

The pilots of the old Soviet school have quite a serious flying record, and in this millennium the Russians have already They don't fly much. “At least less than the Soviet pilots flew,” said Svitan.

According to him, the best pilots can now catch up. By the way, there is information that Russia is starting to call up flight personnel with extensive experience. In order to become operational, they need retraining, which will not take much time.

Russian aviation is now a hodgepodge. There are pilots aged 50 – 60 years old – these are professionals, and there are also flight personnel under 30 years old – the so-called yellowmouths,” the military expert emphasized.

He added that the Armed Forces Ukrainian forces destroyed almost the entire professional Russian army in 2022.

AFU eliminated one of Russia's most experienced pilots

The air forces of the Ukrainian Armed Forces on the evening of January 14 shot down two Russian aircraft over the Sea of ​​Azov – an A-50 early warning aircraft and an Il-22 control post.

< p>We note that the Il-22 plane was nevertheless dragged to the airfield in Anapa, where it requested an emergency landing. However, the speaker of the Air Force of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, Yuriy Ignat, said that the plane was badly damaged, and repairs would no longer help it.

As they say, not the only plane. The defense forces eliminated not only the A-50 aircraft, but also other equally important targets – the crew on board the ship.

One of the most experienced pilots in Russia, the aircraft commander, Vyacheslav Levchenko, has gone missing. Russian publics name 6 more names of those killed as a result of the A-50 crash, including Major M.A. Kvasov – navigator, 4 more officers. In addition, the Russian Colonel Burmistrov was eliminated on the Il-22 plane. class, participant in the military parade in Moscow in 2020. “Ivanovites” will no longer fly over Red Square,” noted the colonel of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.