The anti-aircraft gunners of Ukraine’s 110th Mechanized Brigade have shot down a Russian Su-25 aircraft in Donetsk Oblast, making it the fourth downed jet within two weeks, the brigade said on May 18 in a Facebook post.
The Soviet-designed Su-25, nicknamed “Frogfoot” by NATO, is a heavily armored ground-attack aircraft that provides close air support for Russian ground troops. The aircraft helps Russia carry out intense attacks in multiple sections of the eastern front, which covers much of Donetsk Oblast.
“Now, its remains are smoldering in one of the forests in Donetsk Oblast,” the 110th Brigade said.
The unit did not specify the exact place where the aircraft was downed, but the brigade is based near Avdiivka in Donetsk Oblast.
The brigade also said that three other Su-25s were downed on May 4, May 11, and May 13.
Russia has lost 354 aircraft since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, Ukraine's General Staff said on the morning of May 18. These figure could not be independently verified.