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Russian Fighter Crashes in Lithuania

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posted on Sep, 15 2005 @ 10:26 AM
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A Russian SU-27 Fighter has crashed in Lithuania. The pilot of the fighter was able to eject and is currently detained by local police.
The Fighter was enroute to Kaliningrad, when it got lost to Lithuanian airspace because of a failed navigation system. Plane crashed about 55 kilometers from the city of Kaunas after it ran out of fuel.
 



www.helsinginsanomat.fi/tuoreet/artikkeli/1101980961655
Moskova. Venäläinen hävittäjälentäjä onnistui täpärästi pelastautumaan koneensa maahansyöksystä Liettuassa torstaina.
Lentäjä menetti Suhoi Su-27 -hävittäjänsä hallinnan ja pelastautui heittoistuimen avulla, minkä jälkeen kone syöksyi maahan Kaunasin kaupungin pohjoispuolella Liettuassa.
Hävittäjä oli matkalla Kaliningradissa sijaitsevaan lentotukikohtaan.
STT–AFP–DPA–REUTERS



Please visit the link provided for the complete story.


This is the latest event in a long list of Russian violations of sovreign airspaces. (No english sources yet available)


[edit on 15-9-2005 by northwolf]

[edit on 20-9-2005 by asala]



posted on Sep, 17 2005 @ 05:43 PM
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Here are some updates in english. Pilot ejected safely, no one was hurt, neither pilot nor flight recorder will be returned to Russia at the moment, Russia is angry at NATO member country Lithuania about this, 4 unexploded missiles were found amid the wreckage.


RIA Novosti: Russian fighter that crashed in Lithuania had four missiles aboard - Lithuanian radio

17/ 09/ 2005


The Russian Su-27 fighter that crashed in Lithuania Thursday was carrying four air-to-air missiles, the Lithuanian national radio quoted a Russian high-ranking officer as saying Saturday.

Major-General Sergei Bainetov, the head of the Russian Air Force safety service, said that the missiles had not exploded during the crash and could be found amid the wreckage.

Please visit the link provided for the complete story.


RIA Novosti: UPDATE: Russia, Lithuania start clashing over plane crash pilot

16/ 09/ 2005


Russia and NATO member country Lithuania have issued conflicting statements Friday about when a Russian military pilot whose plane crashed in Lithuania may return home.

A Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman said: "Russia is clarifying all the details of the incident, and is taking all the necessary measures to ensure that the pilot is returned to [his] homeland."

However, although the Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov had urged his Lithuanian counterpart to allow the pilot to return home "as soon as possible," a spokesman for the Lithuanian Defense Ministry said that neither 36-year-old Major Valery Troyanov nor the Su-27 Flanker's flight recorder would be handed over to Russia until an investigation into the incident had been completed.

The fighter bomber crashed about 55 kilometers (34 miles) north of Lithuania's second biggest city, Kuanas, apparently after navigation equipment failed. The pilot managed to eject to safety and no one was hurt in the incident.

Please visit the link provided for the complete story.


edit: Found some more. "Lithuania was able to decipher data from the Su-27 flight recorders and would allow Russian representatives to see the results". The investigation might last for more than a month...


RIA Novosti: Russian experts head for fighter crash site in Lithuania

17/ 09/ 2005




Russian military experts investigating the crash of a Russian Su-27 fighter flew to the crash site Saturday afternoon. Earlier in the day members of the Lithuanian inter-departmental commission headed by Brigadier General Vitalijus Vaiksnoras met with the Russian delegates led by Major General Sergei Bainetov who arrived from Kaliningrad Friday. After the meeting Vaiksnoras told the Lithuanian national radio that the investigation of the Su-27 crash might last for more than a month. He added that the international law allowed the Russian side to participate in the investigation, experiments and examination of the crash site. Lithuanian Armed Forces commander, Major General Valdas Tutkus said Friday that Lithuania would not conduct a joint investigation of the Su-27 crash. He said that Lithuania was able to decipher data from the Su-27 flight recorders and would allow Russian representatives to see the results.

Please visit the link provided for the complete story.


RIA Novosti: URGENT: Lithuania to keep Russian pilot of crashed plane until end of probe - prosecutor



Lithuanian media quoting the prosecutors said the pilot, Major Valery Troyanov, was now considered a "suspect."

Please visit the link provided for the complete story.


[edit on 2005/9/17 by Hellmutt]



posted on Sep, 26 2005 @ 08:10 PM
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Lithuania’s Air Force Commander, Colonel Jonas Marcinkus, has been fired. No details was given except that it was connected to the crash.


MosNews: Lithuania’s Air Force Commander Fired Over Russian Su-27 Crash

26.09.2005




Lithuania’s air force commander has been dismissed in connection with the investigation of a Russian Su-27 fighter crash on the country’s territory, Defense Minister Gediminas Kirkilas said.

Colonel Jonas Marcinkus was criticized by Lithuanian media for reacting too slowly to the crash. The minister quoted by AP said he could not elaborate on why he fired Marcinkus, except that it was connected to the crash.

Investigators, with help from Ukrainian experts, began decoding the plane’s two flight data recorders on Monday. Kirkilas said he expects the investigation to be concluded towards the end of this week.

Please visit the link provided for the complete story.



posted on Sep, 26 2005 @ 08:13 PM
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What exactly was a Russian SU-27 Fighter doing in Lithuania’s airspace in the first place?

Anyone want to speculate on that



posted on Sep, 27 2005 @ 05:31 AM
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Originally posted by ShadowXIX
What exactly was a Russian SU-27 Fighter doing in Lithuania’s airspace in the first place?

Anyone want to speculate on that


it says in the article it was trying to get to Kaliningrad which is part of Russia, though not directly connected to it. Its not likely to be spying since its not really a recon aircraft and there are easier ways for the russians to spy on them (satellites, fake commerical/cargo flights etc). The Russians should really have informed the Lithuanians about the flight though, especially since it was carrying live missiles (by the sound of it). Probably just intimidation tactics on Russias part.



posted on Sep, 27 2005 @ 05:38 AM
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It would be simplicity itself to mount a recon pod on it, and take pictures as it overflies an area on a "ferry" flight. There are many recon pods available that attach to an external hardpoint.



posted on Sep, 27 2005 @ 10:30 PM
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This in a very interesting incident. Although Russian is a member of a NATO-Russian Council involved with open dialogue on maintaining a cordial relationship, the Russians have been very beligerent and uncooperative on the matter. The Russians are demanding the immediate return of the pilot, Maj. Valery Trofimov and the wreckage of the Su-27.

In spite of this "beligerance", Lithuania has shown a willingness to cooperate with Russia. They have allowed a Russian team to act as "observers" in the investigation of the crash. And the Russians are allowed to be present during the questioning of the pilot. Still questions remained unanswered, the foremost being "why was a fully armed Russian plane over Lithuanian Air Space"? Of course, it was allowed to ferry to Kalingrad with permission from Lithuania per prior treaty and agreement but, nevertheless, questions surround the fact that the plane was fully armed.

Another aspect that makes this incident interesting is that four Phantom F-4 fighter planes from Germany based in Lithuania's Zukniai air base on a rotation basis, were slow to react to the radar alert of the planes presence in Lithuania's air space and that they failed to intercept the plane. This would show a serious flaw in the Baltic region's air defences. A telling statement comes from Russia's Air Force Commander-in-Chief, "General Vladimir Mikhailov, reacted with glee: "Air defense forces and assets in Lithuania simply turned out to be good for nothing. The vaunted NATO German pilots were on duty that day. Were they drinking beer, I wonder? For more than 20 minutes this big aircraft was flying over the territory of Lithuania, but it was spotted only when it crashed," Mikhailov told a news conference at air force headquarters in Torzhok "(RIA-Novosti, Interfax, September 26).

Another troubling factor is that Lithuania, unable to decode the Su-27's "black box" immediately requested assistance from NATO. Seven days later, it took a four man team from the Ukrainian Air Force to provide the necessary technological expertise to access the flight recorders data.

Nato's first public announcement about the Russian Crash came seven days later! And that announcement was a simple statement expressing satisfaction that Lithuania was handling the investigation in a capable fashion. Though there was also a statement from the Nato spokesman, James Appathurai who "added a reminder that NATO and Russia are strategic partners and conducting a political dialogue in the NATO-Russia Council " (BNS) September 22.

Lithuanian President, President Valdas Adamkus , publicly adviced the Lithuanian investigators "not to hurry with conclusions before assembling the facts, and only then consider how the facts might reflect on international relations".

Meanwhile, outside of Russian embassy in Moscow, pickets were seen with the slogan, "No Pilot, No Gas", referring to Lithuania's dependence upon fuel from Russia.



posted on Sep, 28 2005 @ 11:05 PM
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The three leaders of the Baltic Nations; Andrus Ansip of Estonia, Aigars Kalvitis of Latvia and Algirdas Brazauskas of Lithuania, announced today that they would be working together to improve air security over the Baltic. This announcement was prompted by the crash of an armed Russian Su-27 fighter bomber inside of Lithuanian territory on September 15th.

The Lithuanian Air Force and German Nato Air Foce jets currently patrol the skies over the Baltic region. However, since the crash of the Su-27 fighter bomber, there has been criticism over the poor response that the joint Lithuanian/German (Nato) Air Forces demonstrated.

The fully armed Su-27, on a flight to the Russian enclave of Kalingrad apparently deviated from a flight path that was well established by treaty. Two German (NATO) Phantom F-4 -- of the four stationed at Siauliai, Lithuania -- were slow to respond to the Russian jets' deviation from the established flight corridor. Furthermore, the F-4s never intercepted the Russian fighter bomber raising alarms that the air defense in the Baltic region was porous and ill prepared.

The leaders of the three Baltic nations, meeting on the Estonian island of Saaremaa, expressed that the Lithuanian Air Force seemed to be doing a good job patrolling the skies over the Baltic Region but they vowed to work together to improve the situation. The three Baltic leaders are expected to continue their meeting with a discussion about joining the E.U.'s passport free zone through the Schengen Treaty.



posted on Sep, 29 2005 @ 12:50 AM
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Lithuania accuses Russia of deliberately submitting "wrong" data to Su-27 crash probe.


RIA Novosti: Lithuania accuses Russia of submitting "wrong" data to Su-27 crash probe

28/ 09/ 2005


The head of the Lithuanian commission investigating the recent crash of a Russian Su-27 Flanker fighter accused Russia Wednesday of deliberately submitting what he called "wrong" data.

Speaking on national radio, Brigadier General Vitalijus Vaiksnoras said Russian officials had failed to provide his commission with radar data that would help it decode the crashed plane's flight recorders and that the inquiry would now have to be suspended.

Please visit the link provided for the complete story.



posted on Sep, 29 2005 @ 07:45 AM
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Let's be honest, occasionally planes do fly off course. Sometimes it's pilot error, equipment malfunctions or things of that nature. But sometimes, when such a deviation occurs, it's deliberate. A very interesting "rumor" surrounding this incident is that the deviation in flight path was deliberate. It appears that there are, and have been, stories surrounding the pilot of the crashed Russian Su-27 fighter bomber. Russian Air Force Maj. Valery Trofimov, is reputed to be "an expert" at making incursions into restricted air spaces. That is, Major Trofimov is highly skilled at pretending, in some cases, that his flights are regularly scheduled flights. He has been known to fly into restricted air spaces using tactics and flight patterns that could cause those who monitor flight paths and air security to assume that there are no incursions only regularly scheduled military or commercial or civilian flights are taking place. In fact, there is a story that Maj. Valery Trofimov has often been asked to demonstrate his ability at "sneaking" into monitored air spaces at recent air shows....most notably a Belorussian air show.

The ability to mimic scheduled air traffic is certainly useful for testing regional air defences and could be quite advantageous should any sort of hostility between NATO and Russia develop. Of course, this would never happen as Russia is our "friend" and ally, right? Nevertheless, this is a report that might give one pause to think.




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