The Armed Forces were knocked down by two Su-34 and one SU-35: air defense reserves covered exit from Avdiivka-ISW
The Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Colonel-General Alexander Sirsky stated that the forces of defense had shot down all three planes that had flew out for the attacks with planning bombs. Russian sources denied the fact that the planes were shot, but the thoughts of "military" are different. Some said that Ukraine's statements were not true, others argued that the Su-34 returned to the base, but the fate of the Su-35 is unclear.
Some argued that Russian troops accidentally knocked down the Su-35 fire on their own. The Commander of the Air Force of Ukraine Lieutenant General Mykola Oleshchuk has published a cospas-asrat satellite, which apparently show the location of the fallen aircraft. The Defense Forces of Ukraine can knock down such valuable aviation means of Russian troops in the presence of modern air defense systems and missiles.
Analysts suggest that these systems were used in a critical period when land troops were moving away from Avdiivka. It should be reminded that, according to ISW estimates, the Russians during the offensive on Avdiivka in the last days for the first time managed to provide support from the air with land troops. It was also reported that the guerrillas had a sabotage on the railway in Volgograd.