a Belarusian aircraft, likely a Yak-130, violated Ukrainian airspace, marking the first known incursion of its kind since the start of the war.
Triggered Anti-Aircraft Alarms
According to Ukrainian Air Forces, the plane breached the administrative borders of Kyiv and Zhytomyr regions, triggering anti-aircraft alarms before heading south and disappearing from radar. The incursion raised immediate concerns in Ukraine, given the ongoing war with Russia and Belarus’s close ties to Moscow.
The Yak-130, originally a Russian-designed training and light attack aircraft, first flew in 1996 and has been part of the Belarusian Air Force since 2015. The aircraft is a twin-seat jet measuring just under 39 feet (12 meters) in length with a wingspan of 31.9 feet (9.72 meters), according to WP.
It is powered by two AI-222-25 turbofan engines that allow it to reach speeds of over 620 mph (1,000 km/h). The Yak-130 can operate at altitudes up to 42,650 feet (13,000 meters), making it a versatile aircraft capable of both training and combat missions.
Limited Strike Capabilities
While primarily used as a training aircraft, the Yak-130 can perform combat missions with limited strike capabilities. It can carry up to 3 metric tons (6,614 lbs) of armament, including Russian-made air-to-air missiles like the R-73 and various bombs, making it a versatile, though relatively modest, combat platform.
Despite its limited capabilities, its presence in Ukrainian airspace is a concerning development, signaling potential escalations.
Belarus received its first Yak-130 jets under a contract with Russia in 2015, initially acquiring four aircraft and adding several more in subsequent years.
The aircraft's combat potential has raised concerns, particularly since one Belarusian Yak-130 crashed near Baranovichi in 2021 due to a control system failure.
