Victory Chronicles-DAY 1160

The Ukrainian Air Force lost a Su-27 fighter jet during a Russian drone attack on the morning of April 28, according to the Air Force command. The aircraft was engaged in a complex combat mission, providing air support to Ukrainian ground forces and attempting to repel a wave of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) when it went down. The cause of the loss is under investigation by a specially appointed commission 

A The pilot ejected safely and was swiftly recovered by search and rescue teams. He was hospitalized for evaluation, and his condition is stable, with no threat to his life or long-term health.

The Su-27, known by NATO as the “Flanker,” is a Soviet-designed fourth-generation, highly maneuverable, all-weather multirole fighter. Noted for its agility, It first entered service with the Soviet military in 1985 and was officially adopted in 1990. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, production continued in Russia.

SIPRI: Russia outspends Ukraine on war more than twice with Kyiv allocating $64.7 billion for military in 2024. Ukraine’s military spending in 2024 reached $64.7 billion, representing a 2.9 percent yearly increase, according to a report by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).

Ukraine’s defense expenditures equaled 43 percent of Russia’s spending and 54 percent of Ukraine’s total government outlays. The report notes Ukraine carried one of the world’s heaviest military burdens, with defense spending accounting for 34 percent of its gross domestic product (GDP), or economic output, in 2024, compared to 37 percent in 2023. All domestic tax revenues were consumed by military needs, while social and economic expenses were covered by foreign aid.

Ukraine received at least $60 billion in military aid in 2024, mainly from the United States, Germany, and other European partners. However, SIPRI attributes military aid to the donor country, meaning this amount was not included in Ukraine’s defense spending. If combined, Ukraine’s spending would total $125 billion, making it the fourth-largest military spender globally.

Meanwhile, Russia’s military spending rose to $149 billion in 2024, an increase of 38 percent compared to 2023, representing 7.1 percent of its GDP.

Ukrainian firefighters extinguish 13 fires caused by Russian attacks in Donetsk Oblast. Firefighters in the Donetsk region extinguished 13 fires over the past 24 hours following Russian attacks that killed four civilians and injured 17 more, Ukraine’s State Emergency Service reported.

In Kostiantynivka, firefighters put out fires at residential buildings, utility structures, and a metal hangar, covering a total area of 765 square meters. In Oleksiievo-Druzhkivka, emergency crews extinguished a fire that destroyed two utility buildings at an industrial site.

In Sloviansk, responders contained a blaze in an industrial zone that spanned 1,000 square meters. In Lyman, firefighters were deployed seven times to combat fires in a forested area, where flames destroyed 13.2 hectares of forestland.

Ukrainian intelligence: Russian Su-30SM fighter jet destroyed in Rostov. Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence Agency (HUR) says a Russian Su-30SM multirole fighter jet at the Rostov-on-Don Central airfield. was destroyed in a fire at the Rostov-onDon airfield. Ukrainian officials called it a sign of growing resistance inside Russia and part of wider efforts to weaken the Kremlin’s military power. 

Key Takeaways:

• Ukrainian and Russian forces’ constant technological and tactical battlefield innovations continue to transform the character of warfare in Ukraine.
• Russian forces are attempting to offset Ukrainian technological adaptations and drone operations by integrating motorcycles and civilian vehicles into offensive operations along the entire frontline.
• Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov reaffirmed Russia’s long-standing position against making any form of territorial concessions, undermining U.S. President Donald Trump’s efforts to broker a lasting peace.
• Russian law enforcement announced on April 26 the arrest of Ignat Kuzin, the suspect whom Russia accused of planting the improvised explosive device (IED) that killed the deputy head of the Russian General Staff’s Main Operational Directorate, Lieutenant General Yaroslav Moskalik, on April 25
• Ukrainian forces recently advanced near Borova. Russian forces recently advanced in Sumy Oblast and near Chasiv Yar and Toretsk.

In Memoriam: Ukrainian soldier Vadym Yelkhovikov, a hero of Ukraine’s defense forces. Vadym Yelkhovikov, 43, a soldier with the 127th Territorial Defense Brigade, was killed in action April 28, 2024, near the village of Novodarivka in Zaporizhzhia Oblast located in southern Ukraine. Known by the call sign “Tatarin,” he died after being fatally wounded in a drone strike during a combat mission.

Yelkhovikov was born in the Crimean Peninsula town of Bilohirsk. In 1990, his family moved to the village of Denhy in Cherkasy Oblast of central Ukraine and later settled in Kropyvna. In civilian life, he worked in construction and, since 2013, lived in the city of Zolotonosha. He enjoyed spending time with family and friends, fishing, and planting trees.

He joined Ukraine’s Air Force in May 2022, serving with the Maksym Kryvonos 156th Anti-Aircraft Missile Regiment . In March 2024, he was reassigned as an assault soldier to the 127th Territorial Defense Brigade.

For his service, Yelkhovikov was posthumously awarded the Order for Courage, Third Class, the Combatant’s Cross and the Honor and Memory badge. “Vadym was a loving husband and father, a sincere and kind person who always helped others. It is very hard without him. Everything now lives only in memories and thoughts. Time froze together with him,” said his wife, Valentyna.

“This is a heavy loss for our family. He will forever remain in our hearts and memories. Now he is our guardian angel watching over us from the sky. I want people to remember those who gave their lives for our future and never forget their sacrifice. I am proud of him,” added his daughter, Viktoriia.

Yelkhovikov was laid to rest at the Alley of Glory in Zolotonosha, Cherkasy Oblast. He is survived by his mother, wife, children, brother, sister, relatives and friends.

*Vadym’s story on the Heroes Memorial – a platform for stories about the fallen defenders of Ukraine.

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