Ukrainian cyber specialists could have caused the destruction of a Russian Su-57 near Moscow – Defense Express
Kyiv • UNN
Ukrainian cyber specialists could have forced Russian air defense to perceive its own Su-57 as an enemy target. Defense Express considers two scenarios, including unauthorized access to the turrets.
The crash of a Russian Su-57 fighter jet near Moscow may have been the result of an operation by Ukrainian cyber specialists, who forced the Russian air defense system to perceive its own aircraft as an enemy target. This is reported by Defense Express, writes UNN.
Details
According to the publication, unofficial Russian sources initially linked the loss of the aircraft to the actions of the "BARS Moscow" air defense unit, formed from reservists. Later, the Inform Napalm community claimed that the fighter was shot down as a result of an operation by Ukrainian cyber units.
According to Inform Napalm, the operation became possible after analyzing information on personnel training, the software and hardware complex, combat operation algorithms, and identified vulnerabilities in the system.
It was they who turned the Russian air defense circuit into a tool for striking its own aviation
Defense Express notes that the possibility of the Su-57 being independently struck by the forces of the "BARS Moscow" unit seems doubtful, as it is armed with anti-drone systems, machine guns, and, at most, man-portable air defense systems, which require visual contact with the target.
The publication considers two likely scenarios. The first involves unauthorized access to autonomous "Citadel" turrets with a 30-mm automatic cannon, which could theoretically have opened fire on the aircraft after its takeoff from the "Kubinka" airfield. The second involves data substitution in the situational awareness system of the airspace, due to which the Su-57 could have been marked as an enemy target for Russian surface-to-air missile systems.
At the same time, Defense Express emphasizes that there is currently no video evidence of surface-to-air missile launches in the Moscow area that could confirm the second scenario. It is also noted that reports of the aircraft crash appeared around 13:20 Kyiv time, while warnings about the threat of drones in the Moscow region were announced between 11:20 and 11:40.