Ukrainian Navy Denies Involvement in Russian Aircraft Crashes in Crimea

The Ukrainian Navy (VMS ZSU) has officially stated that it does not confirm any involvement in the recent crashes of Russian aircraft, specifically the An-26 and Su-30, which occurred in the temporarily occupied Crimea. In a comment to Ukrinform, VMS ZSU spokesperson Dmytro Pletenchuk noted that there is a possibility that the causes of the incidents could be attributed to actions by Russian systems, particularly air defense systems.

"We cannot confirm our involvement in these events regarding the specified aircraft [An-26] with passengers on board, which reportedly numbered 29 individuals, including crew members. Based on the information available at this time, it is more likely that this was an accident," Pletenchuk emphasized.

He also added that given the active operations of Russian air defense and electronic warfare systems in Crimea, it cannot be ruled out that the incidents were influenced by the enemy's own means, such as GPS jamming or errors in air defense operations during combat activities.

Regarding the incident with the Su-30 aircraft, the VMS ZSU spokesperson reiterated that they have no involvement in this case and cannot confirm the fact of the aircraft being shot down. He speculated that it could have been an accident related to the aircraft's operation under extreme conditions.

"The intensive use of Russian aviation in the Azov-Black Sea region leads to wear and tear on equipment and fatigue among crews, which can cause such incidents, especially amid an active flying season," Pletenchuk noted.

The Russian Ministry of Defense reported that on April 3, a Russian Su-30 fighter jet crashed in temporarily occupied Crimea. According to the Russian defense ministry, the aircraft went down around 11:00 AM Moscow time during a training flight.

On the night of April 1, a Russian military An-26 aircraft crashed in occupied Crimea, resulting in the deaths of 30 individuals. The An-26 aircraft was conducting a planned flight over the occupied peninsula, and the preliminary cause of the crash was cited as technical malfunction.

On April 2, the BBC, citing its own sources, reported that Lieutenant General Oleksandr Otrushenko was likely on board the An-26 and perished in the crash.

Thus, the situation surrounding the crashes of Russian aircraft in Crimea remains tense, and further investigations may shed light on the causes of these tragedies, which, according to Ukrainian military officials, could be linked to internal problems within Russian aviation.