A Russian general pilot shot down over Lugansk, in a Wagner Group jet plane?

No air superiority, no ground superiority and another dead Russian general. Retired Russian Major General Kanamat Botashev was reportedly shot down and killed in Ukraine while flying in a Su-25 fighter jet, according to Ukrainian reports and Russian Telegram threads.

Community members on a Russian Telegram channel named “Fighterbomber” started discussing a Russian general who died in Ukraine. In the comment sections of a particular post within the group, a user revealed that Botashev had died while flying through Popasna.

“Kanamat is dead today!!! Popasna district, 8:25 a.m.…First NAR event, second – bombs…Stinger coming out of attack, explosion in the air and…Everything,” a said the user, claiming that a Stinger shot down the fighter jet.. The group admin has since deleted the comment.

The Ukrainian general staff also confirmed the death of the Russian general, saying that an SU-25 had also been shot down over Popasna.

However, it is important to note that the Botashev is a retired general. It was discovered by Novaya Gazeta, an independent Russian investigative newspaper run by editor-in-chief Dmitry Muratov, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, that Botashev was released from the Russian military in 2013.

Why? According to their report, he and the commander of military unit 23326-2, Colonel Yevhen Oliynyk, took an unauthorized ride in a Su-27UB where Botashev sat in the co-pilot’s seat. They performed aerial maneuvers, tricks and aerobatics. The two high-ranking men lost control of the aircraft and ejected. As a result, they were discharged from military service. This gives us an insight into how Russian forces are trained and their attitude towards military service.

It’s no secret that high-ranking American military officers would never take a plane on a “road trip,” let alone crash it just because they went out to “have fun.” If Russian officers can tinker and play with their fighter jets, then you can imagine what kind of example they set for conscripts and those in lower ranks. If this happened in the United States, officers would get fired and slapped on the wrist, their image forever tarnished.

Wagner Group shares a video of a Su-25 attacking positions 🇺🇦 in Popasna. However, they claim it’s not the 🇷🇺 Air Force. The cryptic message alludes to a “mercenary” (?) aircraft that has also been seen in Africa. Three translations with a TG message string below linking to the group.🧵 pic.twitter.com/F1odpwJNpW

— Dmitri 🇺🇦 (@mdmitri91) May 10, 2022

“Goodbye Commander… There are few people on this planet who have lived in the sky as much as you. The sky takes the best, today it took you, ”said a user in the Fighter-bomber telegram channels.

Intel says he was part of the class of sniper pilots, whose training takes more than 10 to 12 years to produce. The training time costs Russia about $8 million in taxes, so Botashev was the real deal. We give credit where credit is due. However, it seems a little unprofessional for him to roll over fighter jets when not on official business or training; he got fired, so his discipline and character might not be one of the best Russian strengths to offer.

The Russians have been trying for some time to achieve military success in Ukraine. After more than four months of fighting in Ukraine, Russian forces have been absolutely dismal with their performance, capturing only Kherson and Mariupol with thousands of dead soldiers. Today, Botashev joins the ever-growing list of high-ranking military generals who have been killed in Ukraine. He is also the first general to be killed in aerial combat.

Who is Botashev and how did he come to Ukraine?

63-year-old retired Russian Air Force Major General Kanamat Botashev is a pilot from Karachay-Cherkessia who received the qualification of “fighter-bomber” from the Higher Institute of Military Aviation from Yeysk.

Novaya Gazeta reported that he was the commander of an airbase in Voronezh and frequently operated MiGs. It was here that he ordered Colonel Yevhen Oliynyk to take him for a ride on an Su-27UB. He was a colonel, so he couldn’t refuse the general. They then crashed, but both men managed to eject.

Read more : SITREP Ukraine April 12

“Botashev and Oleynik were fired from the army. The direct culprit of the destruction of the fighter received a four-year suspended prison sentence. He also received compensation for damage to the Ministry of Defense in the amount of five million rubles. Although the prosecution insisted on full compensation for damage, that is, up to the residual value of the destroyed aircraft, estimated at one hundred million rubles. The court decided otherwise. This trial took place in 2013 – then the court could still independently determine the amount of compensation for damages resulting from the crime so that this amount was reasonable and fair.

If he was fired, how did he get to Ukraine? Well, it must be his nationalism on the line as rumors swirled that the retired general couldn’t stay away from action in Ukraine.

Since being discharged, he has reportedly joined the Wagner Group, a Russian paramilitary force widely known as Putin’s Private Army – mercenaries made up of former Russian servicemen who are hired by the Russian government every time they want to intervene unofficially in a military conflict, so that they do not have international repercussions. We cannot confirm its membership of the Wagner group at this time. The Wagner Group was reportedly operational in Ukraine after Chechen forces failed to kill Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky during the first phase of the war.

His death is also accompanied by the death of another Russian colonel, Alexey Smirnov, who was the commander of the Russian 98th Airborne Division. Not much is known of the circumstances of his death; thus, we cannot confirm if he is truly dead. However, a Russian media, K1 Newshad reported on the alleged death, describing that he had died during the so-called “special military operation” in Ukraine.

They now join the 12 Russian generals killed by Ukrainian forces, a testament to one of their worst military performances that will haunt them for years to come. Currently, the Russians are trying to encircle Ukrainian forces in the Donbass, trying to take full control of the Lugansk region amid mounting casualties and tactical failures.