As drones have been used to strike deep within Russia, many Russians—especially those far from the front lines—began to fear that they too might be targeted.
This heightened fear even led to Russian civilians being mistakenly shot at. The situation was especially surprising when a Russian civilian plane was attacked by its own air defenses, reports WP.
On November 26, 2024, a flying object appeared over a refinery in Salavat, a city in Bashkortostan, Russia.
Located about 1,300 kilometers from the Ukrainian border, Salavat is known for its oil processing facility, where Gazprom Neftekhim processes millions of tons of oil every year.
The air defenses in the area mistook the object for a Ukrainian drone. The local forces fired on the aircraft, using machine guns and anti-aircraft weapons.
However, it turned out that the object was not a drone but a civilian Russian An-2 aircraft.
The An-2, an old Soviet-era biplane, was carrying out a routine flight to take nighttime photographs of the refinery.
However, the plane’s crew had not informed the local air defense forces of their flight, leading to the misunderstanding.
Despite taking multiple hits, including a direct strike from a 23 mm shell, the An-2 survived surprisingly well.
The plane's design, dating back to the 1940s, proved resilient. Even after being hit in the wing, where its fuel tank was located, the plane managed to land safely.
This incident shows just how resilient the An-2 is, especially considering its age and light construction.
The aircraft’s ability to withstand heavy damage, including fire from various calibers of machine guns, left many surprised.
Despite the potentially devastating attack, the plane’s crew escaped unharmed, and the aircraft landed safely without any major issues.
This event highlights the unusual effects of war as even civilian aircraft are caught in the crossfire.
