Russia mistakenly fires on civilian plane in Ukraine conflict
- A civilian plane in the Murmansk region was mistakenly shot at by Russian ground forces who thought it was a drone.
- The pilot issued a mayday call as the aircraft sustained damage but managed to land safely.
- The incident highlights the dangers of misidentification in conflict zones and raises concerns about civilian flight safety.
In the Murmansk region of Russia, a civilian aircraft was mistakenly fired upon by ground forces who believed it to be a Ukrainian drone. The incident occurred after a period of heightened alert due to recent drone activity in the area. The aircraft, a Czech-made ATEC 321 Faeta NG, was piloted by a single individual who issued a mayday call as the plane was struck by bullets, resulting in damage to its wing and headlight. Fortunately, both the targeted plane and another aircraft in the vicinity managed to land safely despite the chaos. The mistaken identity of the aircraft may have stemmed from the ongoing conflict, where the region has been on high alert due to threats from hostile drones. The guards responsible for the shooting are believed to be part of the air defense forces, although this has not been officially confirmed. The A-22 Flying Fox, a type of kamikaze drone, closely resembles small planes, which may have contributed to the confusion. Reports indicate that the airport in Murmansk had been closed for two days due to fears of drone attacks, despite its significant distance from Ukraine. The situation was exacerbated by sightings of NATO reconnaissance aircraft in the area, which heightened tensions and led to increased military vigilance. As of now, there has been no official comment from Russian authorities regarding the incident, and the pilots involved have not spoken to the media, suggesting possible restrictions on their communication. This incident raises concerns about the safety of civilian flights in conflict zones and the potential for further misunderstandings in the airspace.