Russian Fighter Crashes in Lithuania

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.



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]

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.




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...




[edit on 2005/9/17 by Hellmutt]

Lithuania’s Air Force Commander, Colonel Jonas Marcinkus, has been fired. No details was given except that it was connected to the crash.

What exactly was a Russian SU-27 Fighter doing in Lithuania’s airspace in the first place?

Anyone want to speculate on that

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.

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.

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.

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.

Lithuania accuses Russia of deliberately submitting "wrong" data to Su-27 crash probe.

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.