Lorry crash grounds Russian jet in Crimea, £3m in damages
According to Ukrainian media citing reports from Russia, unprecedented scenes occurred at the Russian airport in Simferopol, Crimea. A Russian man driving a lorry collided with a Su-25SM3 attack aircraft, rendering it "completely disabled." The damage was estimated to be several million pounds.
The incident was first reported by the Russian channel WCzK-OGPU on Telegram, which has sources close to security services. NEXTA, among others, shared information about the event at the airport in Simferopol on Ukrainian social media.
Accident at the airport in Simferopol
According to the disclosed information, the Russian lorry driver did not exercise proper caution, exceeded the safe speed at which he should have been moving around the airport, and collided with the attack aircraft being towed by another lorry. It was specified that it was a Su-25SM3, which was "completely disabled."
£3 million in damages
As Igor Sushko, an American activist of Ukrainian descent, adds, the entire incident was supposedly caused by Aleksandr Jerlich, a Russian conscript who did not even have a driving licence.
The damage was initially estimated at £3 million. The unfortunate driver was supposed to be fined and sentenced to one year of imprisonment.
According to WCzK-OGPU, the loss of each Su-25SM3 is significant because not many reserve planes are stationed in Simferopol. The accident, which should not have occurred, limits the capabilities of the Russian units based there.
The Su-25SM3, developed by United Aircraft Corporation, is the latest and most advanced upgrade of the Su-25, which appears much more frequently over Ukraine. The Su-25SM3 is also an attack aircraft with several significant enhancements compared to the Su-25. These include modernised targeting and navigation systems, the SOLT-25 optoelectronic station, and the Vitebsk-25 active defence system. The Su-25SM3 is also adapted to carry newer types of armament and operate at altitudes exceeding 10,000 metres.
