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Photos from the crash site of a Ukrainian MiG-29 fighter that went down on August 10 appear to show fragments of R-60 air-to-air missiles, according to the authors of the Voyenny Osvedomitel Telegram channel.
The publication noted that production of the R-60 ended around 35 years ago and said pieces resembling components of these missiles could be seen among the aircraft wreckage.
Earlier images shared on social media showed Ukrainian MiG-29s carrying longer-range R-27 and R-73 missiles. Based on this, the channel’s authors suggested that stocks of those weapons may have declined, prompting the use of older R-60 missiles on the fighters.
NATO designated the R-60 as the AA-8 Aphid. Depending on the modification, the missile has a range of between seven and ten kilometers.
The report suggested that such missiles could have been transferred to the Ukrainian military by former Warsaw Pact countries that previously operated Soviet-made aircraft.
The publication also stated that the storage life of these missiles had already expired, creating a risk that they could catch fire during launch.
On the evening of August 11, the Ukrainian Air Force press service reported the crash of a MiG-29 in the Odessa region while the aircraft was carrying out a combat mission. An abnormal situation during a missile launch was cited as the cause.
The pilot managed to eject but suffered injuries and was taken to a medical facility.