Norwegian Minister of Defence Tore O. Sandvik received a fragment of a downed Russian Su-30 fighter jet crafted into the shape of the aircraft during an industry exhibition in Norway, according to an ABC Nyheter report. The artifact, presented by the organization Fritt Ukraina, features the inscription “Made in Russia, recycled in Ukraine” alongside the phrase “Be brave like Ukraine.” According to Fritt Ukraina, the metal originated from a warplane shot down near Bakhmut in 2023.
The Battle of Bakhmut and Material Losses
The city of Bakhmut in the Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine served as the site of one of the most intense engagements between Ukrainian and Russian forces during the full-scale war, which is now in its fifth year, as reported by ABC Nyheter. Artillery bombardments targeted the city as early as May 2022 before Russian infantry and mechanized units advanced closer throughout that year. Intense urban combat escalated in and around Bakhmut by the spring of 2023. Mercenaries from the Russian Wagner Group participated directly in the fighting, and Russian forces ultimately captured the city at a massive cost in human lives.
Su-30 Fighter Jet Statistics
The Sukhoj Su-30 is a multirole combat aircraft developed in the Soviet Union designed to carry a two-person crew for air-to-air and air-to-ground missions, bearing the reporting name Flanker-C given by NATO. According to the open-source intelligence database Oryx, 22 Russian Su-30 aircraft have been documented as destroyed or damaged over the course of the conflict. Oryx verifies military equipment losses using strictly enforced criteria that rely on photographic, video, and geolocated evidence.
Did you know?
The open-source tracking platform Oryx requires concrete photographic or videographic proof paired with geodata before logging any military vehicle or aircraft as destroyed or damaged in the Ukraine conflict.
Frequently Asked Questions
What aircraft did the gift fragment originate from?
According to Fritt Ukraina, the metal piece came from a Russian Sukhoj Su-30 fighter jet that was shot down over Bakhmut in 2023.
How many Su-30 losses have been recorded?
The tracking database Oryx reports that 22 Russian Su-30 aircraft have been documented as damaged or destroyed during the war based on visual evidence.
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