The Ukrainian Air Power on March 9 reported the demise of one of many nation’s most skilled airmen, Colonel Alexander Dovgach, the commander of the thirty ninth Fighter Aviation Brigade, throughout a fight sortie. “Within the japanese route, within the circumstances of a major benefit of the air enemy and highly effective counteraction of hostile air defence methods, Colonel Alexander Dovgach was killed,” the Air Power introduced. Dovgach carried out fight missions within the Kiev, Kharkiv, and Kherson areas, and likewise carried out strikes on Snake Island within the spring of 2022. On September 30, 2025, hewas awarded the title of Hero of Ukraine and the “Gold Star” order for his operations. The Ukrainian Air Power described him as “a real chief and fight pilot” who led from the entrance and had flown a whole bunch of fight sorties towards Russian forces. The brigade he commanded is broadly thought of probably the most elite within the Ukrainian Air Power, and has had a particular standing since its formation.
Colonel Dovgach is prone to have been flying one of many Ukrainian Air Power’s final Su-27 lengthy vary air superiority fighters, that are one of many two fighter varieties operated by the thirty ninth Fighter Aviation Brigade alongside a small variety of just lately donated Mirage 2000s. The unit traces its historical past again to the Soviet Air Power 894th Fighter Aviation Regiment, which was initially outfitted with MiG-29s, however transitioned to working extra succesful Su-27s within the early 2000s. The brigade has suffered a number of fight losses, with a number of pilots killed in motion on the primary day alone, together with Lieutenant Colonel Eduard Vahorovsky and Main Dmytro Kolomiiets, each of whom had been posthumously awarded the title Hero of Ukraine. The Su-27 has retained an elite standing throughout the Ukrainian Air Power, with pilots having commented that its fight potential far exceeds these of different fighter varieties in service together with the MiG-29, F-16 and Mirage 2000.
Having been developed because the Soviet Union’s premier air superiority fighter, the Su-27 is especially prized for its a lot bigger and extra highly effective radar than different Ukrainian operated fighter varieties, in addition to its far longer vary and better weapons carrying capability. Though out of date for air-to-air engagements with Russian fighters, Su-27s stay extremely succesful for strike operations towards Russian targets, and have been extensively modernised with the assist of a number of NATO member states to have the ability to combine Western-produced guided weapons, as these weapons have been donated to Ukraine as support. Essentially the most vital of those is the AGM-88 HARM air-to-surface anti-radiation missile, which houses in on radar emissions, and is taken into account optimum for strikes on Russian air defence methods.
Ukrainian Su-27s have additionally been modified to make use of ADM-160 MALD decoy missiles, French AASM Hammer precision guided bombs, and U.S. GBU-39 small diameter bombs. To make use of these new weapons, the plane’s inner methods have additionally been modified, together with the combination of a brand new navigation and data system, a helmet-mounted cuing and indication system, and a brand new digital processor within the weapons management system. Ukrainian air operations have confronted very appreciable challenges not solely from way more trendy Russian ground-based air defences and fighter and interceptor models, but additionally from strikes on air bases, which have been filmed destroying a number of Su-27s a number of instances because the outbreak of full scale hostilities in February 2022. Whereas the Ukrainian Air Power was beforehand the second largest operator of the Su-27 by a major margin, it’s estimated to have solely 12-20 of the plane nonetheless in service.
