7th Tactical Aviation Brigade

History

The 7th Bomber Aviation Regiment was formed in 1951. In January 1992 the regiment took the oath of loyalty to the Ukrainian people.

In October 2005 the former 32 Independent Reconnaissance Aviation Squadron from Kolomyia joined the brigade as its reconnaissance aviation squadron.

In 2005–2006 the Brigade became the first Air Force formation to be composed of professional soldiers and not conscripts.

On 20 August 2014, Su-24, bort number Whute 27 was shot down by a Pantsir-S1, the crew survived.

In August 2019 a Su-24M took part in the international air show “Gdynia Aerobaltik 2019” in Poland. This represented the first participation of a Ukrainian Su-24 to an international air show.

In December 2019 Su-24Ms from the 7th Tactical Aviation Brigade completed air-to-air refueling training for the first time in 20 years.

According to Forbes, 18 bombers were shot down by Russian Forces as of 22 February 2024, but despite being a priority target for the Russians, the 7th Brigade has managed to remain active by scattering its forces to neighbouring air bases (or even roads and highways) whenever missiles are detected by Ukrainian radars or NATO satellites, while the Storm Shadow/SCALP-EG cruise missiles allows their Su-24s to strike targets without entering Russian air defenses range. In February 2024, the Brigade commander Col. Yevhen Bulatsyk told the Voice of America that the brigade not only managed to make up for its losses of Su-24M/MR bombers, but expand its numbers by restoring as many grounded aircraft as possible.

Components

• Two bomber squadrons
• One reconnaissance squadron

Aircraft

In March 2019, the International Institute for Strategic Studies reported that Ukraine fielded 14 Su-24 attack aircraft and 9 Su-24MR reconnaissance aircraft on operational status.

Another eight unidentified Su-24M/MRs from the 7th Tactical Aviation Brigade were reported lost or damaged during the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine:

On 24 February 2022, a Su-24 was lost in Poltava. Both pilots survived.

On 1 March 2022, a Su-24M was shot down near the village of Krasenyvka, Zolotoni, Cherkasy Oblast. The pilots, were wounded but survived.

On 12 March 2022, a Su-24 was shot down by Russian forces near Bilyaivka village, Beryslav Raion, Kherson Oblast. The pilots, Valeriy Oshkalo and Roman Chekhun, died.

On 21 March 2022, a Su-24 piloted by Viacheslav Khodakivskyi was lost near Pokrovsky district, Zaporizhya, Ukraine. The pilot died.

On 30 March 2022 a Su-24 was shot down in Kirovohrad, Kropyvnytskyi region. The crew Brigade Commander of the 7th Tactical Aviation Brigade Col. , and navigator Kostiantin Horodnychev, were reported dead. The same day another Su-24 was recorded damaged with a trail of smoke in Rivne, western Ukraine on social media.

On May-June 2022, during the Ukrainian offensive and recapture of Snake Island, a Su-24MR was shot down by a Russian missile, the crew managed to eject and survived.

On 29 September 2022 a Su-24 was hit by Russian surface-to-air missile in Kherson Oblast. The aircraft was recorded on video with one of its engines on fire before it crashed. The pilots Lt. Col Yevgeny Solovyov and Captain Artem Hanko ejected.

References

Bibliography

References

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