There were two serious incidents at once with the participation of the Russian military. In the Tver region, a Su-35S fighter accidentally shot down a Su-30 fighter with fire from a 30-mm cannon, the crew of which successfully ejected. And in Denmark, the Ice Rose vessel, which was carrying cargo from St. Petersburg, and the small anti-submarine ship Kazanets of the Baltic Fleet almost sank each other. To investigate the incidents, the Ministry of Defense has created commissions, and the military investigating authorities are going to initiate criminal cases.
The Su-30 multipurpose fighter, costing about $ 50 million when sold abroad, was destroyed during a scheduled flight in the Tver region. According to preliminary data, the plane followed in a group of combat vehicles of the same type, after which it suddenly lost control, and its crew of two was successfully ejected. The plane itself crashed 45 km from the Hotilovo airport, where its wreckage was found after about four hours of searching by the military and the rescuers of the Emergencies Ministry who joined them. The fighter was completely destroyed, no one was injured on the ground as a result of its fall.
According to preliminary data, during an administrative investigation into the incident, it turned out that one of the Su-30s, during a training battle, really attacked the next generation Su-35S fighter. Fortunately, there was no rocket armament on it, shots from the GSh-30-1 30-mm aircraft cannon were also not supposed to sound, and the attack itself should only be recorded by photo and video equipment.
However, the cannon, which is usually discharged, put on a safety lock and de-energized, just in case, not only fired, but also hit the target accurately, taking down the plumage of the Su-30, which soon crashed.
Obviously, the Su-35S sniper pilot will have to answer and pay for the hit, against whom, most likely, a criminal case under Art. 347 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (damage or destruction of military property by negligence). Note that the military department usually sues the perpetrators of such incidents to bring them to financial responsibility corresponding to the cost of the destroyed equipment. However, the courts, as a rule, satisfy such statements in part, recovering from the perpetrators only their monthly salary.
Another incident involving the Russian military took place abroad – in the area of the Øresund Bridge in Denmark. There, the cargo ship Ice Rose (equipped with refrigeration units for the transport of perishable goods), which was sailing from St. Petersburg to Gothenburg under the flag of the Marshall Islands, and the small anti-submarine ship Kazanets of the Baltic Fleet collided. According to the press service of the Baltic Fleet, the collision occurred when the ships were sailing through the Danish straits (Baltic straits).
The Baltic Fleet reported that visibility was poor in that area. Kazanets got a hole above the waterline and is returning to Baltiysk, where it is based.
Nobody was hurt in the collision. The cause of the incident has not been established, but it was evidently caused by the actions of the crews of both ships in heavy fog.
The investigation of the incident is being conducted by the fleet commission and the military prosecutor’s office. Then, obviously, a criminal case will be initiated on violation of the rules for driving or operating warships (Article 352 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation). If the commander of the Kazanets’ crew is found guilty, he will also have to pay for the ship’s repairs.
Kazanets was built back in 1985 in the GDR by order of the USSR Navy. A year later, it entered the Baltic Fleet. The vessel’s displacement is 935 tons, length – 75.2 meters, width – 9.78 meters, draft – 2.65 meters. Crew – 80 people, including nine officers.
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