The three Russian Su-34 warplanes downed on Dec. 22 were planning to attack Ukraine with guided bombs, aviation expert Valeriy Romanenko said in an interview with Radio NV.

“Most likely, it was really a Patriot, because we did receive another system from Germany, and our guys were already prepared for it,” Romanenko said.

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When the Russians were going to attack Ukraine with guided bombs, they did not take into account the possibility that their aircraft could be shot down by a Patriot system.

“On some days, they were dropping up to 100 KABs — guided aerial bombs — on the southern axis,” said Romanenko.

“Now three aircraft were flying and got hit all at once because they did not take into account that the Patriot has a range of 160 kilometers. Even if it is placed 70-80 kilometers away from the combat line, they can still perfectly spot Russian planes at the height where they drop bombs. And they can hit them pretty well, too.”

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Ukrainian Air Force Commander Mykola Oleshchuk announced the destruction of three enemy aircraft around noon on Dec. 22. He called it a response to a nighttime “message” from the Russian military on an intercepted kamikaze drone, which carried the messages: “Die, b**ches”.

Air Force spokesperson Yuriy Ihnat called the downing of the warplanes “a brilliantly planned operation to destroy the enemy on the periphery of our country.”

Russia has dozens of Su-34s — one of its newest models.

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The aircraft has a crew of two pilots, and are used by the Russian military to strike Ukraine with guided bombs, guided missiles, and other weapons.

“But such a machine cannot cost less than $50 million,” Ihnat said.

“This is the lowest price.”

This is due to the fact that they are “extremely technologically advanced,” Ihnat explained.

According to NV sources in Ukrainian intelligence, some Russian servicemen were killed as a result of the destruction of these planes, though the source did not specify whether they meant the pilots.

The NV source also said that the warplanes were shot down over Russian-controlled territory.

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Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine