A Mikoyan Gurevich MiG-29 Fulcrum fighter of the Ukrainian Air Force (UAF) was shot down by a Ukrainian anti-aircraft system. The friendly fire incident took place last Friday (07), in Kurakhove, Donetsk Oblast. Information points to the death of the pilot. 

Images show the wreckage of the fighter, which would be sporting the painting of the UAF air demonstration squadron, the Falcons, whose operations ended more than 20 years ago. The plane would be armed with American AGM-88 HARM anti-radar missiles. 

Happened two days ago at Kurakhovo, #Donetsk Oblast. The MiG-29 of #Ukrainian Air Force armed with AGM-88B HARM missiles & painted in colors of # Ukraine Falcons display team was mixed with a #Russian aircraft & was shot down by #UkrainianArmy. Unfortunately its pilot was killed. pic.twitter.com/hxTNCw5jia

- Babak Taghvaee - The Crisis Watch (@ BabakTaghvaee1) January 8, 2023

Remains of a Ukrainian Mig-29 (Ukrainian Falcons group) shot down recently near Kurakhovke. Unconfirmed reports (Russian story / DPR 'Kaskad' unit) is that this jet was downed by friendly fire from a 9K33 Osa SAM air defense system. pic.twitter.com/dICgrrhi4w

— NOELREPORTS 🇪🇺 🇺🇦 (@NOELreports) January 8, 2023

The information that the plane was shot down by friendly fire comes from Russian Dmitry Vadimovich Sablin, vice-president of the State Defense Committee. "Near Kurakhovo, the Ukrainian Osa air defense system shot down its own Ukrainian MiG-29. We only contribute a little. The Lord's punishment for those who desecrate Christmas", said Sablin by Telegram. 

The MiG-29 was mistakenly shot down by a 9K33M2 Osa-AK short-range anti-aircraft missile system, called the SA-8 Gecko by NATO. Of Soviet origin, the SA-8 entered into service in the first half of the 1970s and is still operated by a number of countries, including Ecuador, Algeria, India, Greece, Russia and Ukraine itself. The amphibious launch vehicle is operated by 4 to 5 military personnel and carries six 9M33 series missiles, with a range of around 15 km.

So far, Ukrainian authorities have not commented on what happened. 

Ukraine's main fighter

Largely operated by the UAF since the start of the war, the MiG-29 is among the country's top fighter aircraft, alongside the Sukhois Su-25 Frogfoot and Su-27 Flanker. A good part of the Ukrainian MiG-29s had been upgraded locally. 

Throughout the conflict, Kiev has received an array of parts and maintenance tools to keep its fleet of MiG-29s in service against Russia and is looking forward to the transfer of combat-ready planes, most likely from Slovakia, country that has donated long-range anti-aircraft missiles to Ukraine. 

Later the aircraft even received an unusual integration with anti-radar missiles AGM-88 HARM, produced in the United States. With this armament, the MiG-29 became a more effective weapon against Russian anti-aircraft batteries, despite being an aircraft considered obsolete compared to the Su-30SM, Su-35S and Su-57 fighters used by Moscow in the conflict. 

The War in Ukraine will complete 1 year on February 24, 2023.