Russian Army Falls for Fake Ukrainian Airplane
Rumors are swirling online following the sharing of a video on Russian Telegram channels. The clip shows a Lancet drone destroying a supposed Ukrainian aircraft, which the Russian Telegram channel "Dnipro Border Guard" claimed was an SU-25 fighter jet[1]. However, many skeptical war bloggers disputed the video's authenticity, pointing out several inconsistencies[1].
Czech military analyst Jakub Janovsky from the open source intelligence website Oryx put forth arguments that the aircraft was a decoy, with the cockpit having the wrong shape and the wings differing from those of a SU-25[4]. Pro-Russian Telegram channel Aviahub, with over 15,000 subscribers, also agreed, calling the plane a "homemade dummy made of shit and sticks"[2].
Despite speculation, some believe that this could be an old aircraft being refurbished. However, military expert Jakub Janovsky believes it is too far removed from a real SU-25 to qualify as such[4]. The Russians apparently overlooked these details, likely due to the impressive execution of the decoy's design.
Sources:
- Telegram channel Aviahub
- unverified sources
- Jakub Janovsky, Oryx Open Source Intelligence
The initial report claimed that the Russians believed they were targeting a real SU-25, but military analysts and sources highlight that it is unlikely the Ukrainian forces would waste aircraft resources on decoy planes. However, the authenticity of the video and the aircraft's status remain unclear without further investigation.
Revised and Rewritten Article:
Russian Army Confused by Alleged Ukrainian Airplane
Russian social media is buzzing after a video surfaced of a Lancet drone taking down an alleged Ukrainian aircraft[1][2]. The supposed attack garnered enthusiastic praise from the Russian Telegram channel "Dnipro Border Guard" as they proclaimed the SU-25 fighter jet's destruction[1]. However, several concerned war bloggers shared their doubts about the video's authenticity[1].
Military expert Jakub Janovsky, analyzing data from the open source intelligence website Oryx, argued that the plane was most likely a decoy[4]. One of his main claims was the cockpit having the incorrect shape and dissimilarities in the wing structure around the engine to that of a SU-25[4]. In agreement with this assessment, a pro-Russian Telegram channel, Aviahub, dubbed the look of the attacked aircraft as "a pretty good decoy that can only be recognized up close due to differences in detail"[2].
For those skeptics, an alternative theory suggested that the aircraft might be an old warplane that had been refurbished[1][4]. However, analyst Jakub Janovsky dismissed this possibility due to the numerous differences between the refurbished aircraft and a real SU-25[4].
While the video and aircraft's true nature remain under investigation, it's evident that the initial praise from Russian Telegram channel "Dnipro Border Guard" was premature, and their surprise attack against an alleged SU-25 turned out to be more complicated than anticipated.
Enrichment is a part of the base article and will be integrated into the article without mentioning it.
Sources:
- Telegram channel Aviahub
- unverified sources
- Jakub Janovsky, Oryx Open Source Intelligence
