Separatist rebels in eastern Ukraine are attempting to return combat aircraft from the Luhansk aviation museum to an airworthy state, a video posted online on 29 January appears to show.
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| Ukrainian Separatists Show Off 'Air force'. |
The video, which was shot by Russian-backed insurgents in Ukraine, purports to show a Sukhoi Su-25 'Frogfoot' ground-attack aircraft and an Aero L-29 Delfín trainer and light-attack aircraft being readied for flight operations.
While the Su-25 is seen being painted in the colours of the self-styled separatist state of Novorossiya, nothing in the video suggests it is functional. The L-29, however, is powered up and performs a low-speed taxi trial.
Both aircraft are armed - the Su-25 with four underwing rocket pods and the L-29 with two underwing dumb bombs - but it is not possible to tell if these munitions are live or museum props.
Two days prior to the video being posted, the Ukrainian military said it had destroyed a number of aircraft in the possession of the separatists. These, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) said, included an Aero L-39 Albatros light attack jet, a Yakovlev Yak-52 basic trainer and light attack prop, two Antonov An-2 'Colt' tactical transport aircraft, as well as four Mil Mi-24 'Hind' attack helicopters. From the list provided by the MoD, it would seem that the Su-25 and L-29 located at Luhansk, close to the border with Russia, were not targeted on this occasion.
As shown on the video, the Luhansk aviation museum has many other aircraft types, including a Sukhoi Su-24 'Fencer' strike aircraft, an Su-27 'Flanker' fighter, and even a Tupolev Tu-95 'Bear' strategic bomber. However, it is unlikely the rebels could bring such aircraft back to an operational condition and have the resources and wherewithal to operate them.
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