A Russian guard sergeant just required seven seconds to track down and shoot down a Ukrainian Su-25 strike plane. In an air defence platoon, Sergeant Alexei Nemikin was a guardsman. He is a mobile anti-aircraft missile system operator. He describes the circumstances surrounding the downing of the Ukrainian aircraft to Russian journalists.
“I destroyed the target in seven seconds, literally. In a video posted by the Russian Federation’s Ministry of Defense, Sergeant Nemikin said, “Basically, if I don’t manage to do it in such a short time, the target just flies away. Nemikin received the Order of Courage from Russian President Vladimir Putin in recognition of the downed Su-25.
The Russian sergeant reveals that a radar gadget had picked up the target before it even got close to his position. There were two Ukrainian targets; the first was taken out by his platoon leader (the target’s identity was kept a secret), and the Su-25 “was handled by me,” according to Nemikin. The radar station then confirms to the sergeant that the Ukrainian Su-25 was downed successfully.
The Russian Federation gave Nemikin another order after learning that he had shot down a second Su-25. Two Ukrainian aircraft were flying at the time. It is unclear from the sergeant’s narrative if the first target was shot down when its commander retaliated by firing at it. His intended target, the second plane, was struck, nevertheless.
Targets materialise relatively quickly under such circumstances, according to Sergeant Alexey Nemikin. They just disappear and you’ve missed the mark if you can’t deal with them right away. According to Nemikin, in such circumstances, you “work on autopilot.”
The Su-25 attack planes have been shot down the most during the Ukrainian conflict. both from Russia and the Ukrainian Air Force’s stockpile. Up through and including November 9, 38 Su-25s were shot down, according to public sources. There were 15 Ukrainian and 23 Russian Su-25s.
