Air Strikes by VKS & SyAAF, 28 May 2017

28 May began with two Russian fighter-bombers taking-off from Hmemmem at 00.18hrs, and one at 00.19hrs. Two minutes later, they overflew…

28 May began with two Russian fighter-bombers taking-off from Hmemmem at 00.18hrs, and one at 00.19hrs. Two minutes later, they overflew Jishr ash-Shughour while climbing and then disappearing in south-eastern direction.

Two additional Russian fighter-bombers reportedly overflew Jishr around 03.01hrs, and two about 10 minutes later. At 03.18, a Russan reconnaissance aircraft was reported over Sarqib, and this was followed by additional take-offs from Hmemmem AB at 03.21, 03.25, 03.27, 03.29, 03.30, 03.33, 03.35, and 03.38. Curiously, no bombardments were reported. Russians either have found something in the Sarqib area, but they didn’t attack, or they used that part of airspace to group their aircraft into a big formation: namely, around 03.40, all of their aircraft left this area and flew away in eastern direction. Additional fighter-bombers followed this formation, with take-offs at 04.05 and 04.08.

There followed several hours of nothing going on, until Assadists woke up – at office times, of course. At 09.08, a Su-24 took off from Tiyas AB. Another followed at 09.36. At 10.14, a single Su-22 launched from Tiyas, and then a MiG-23 from Hama, at 10.20. All went in eastern or north-eastern direction.

At 11.40, the Russians make an exception from the rule for the last few weeks, and launched a fighter bomber from Hmemmem AB. This was followed by one reconnaissance aircraft, launched about 10 minutes later (this was last sighted while passing high above northern Homs, about an hour later).

At 12.28, another Su-24 took off from Tiyas AB. Another at 13.18. Shayrat launched one Su-22 at 14.04, and Hmemmem another Russian aircraft at 14.23 (type unclear).

Final activity for that afternoon was recorded about two hours later: a Su-22 from Shayrat at 16.23, and a helicopter from as-Safira at 16.40.

Evening was quiet until 20.36 when one L-39 launched from Shayrat (first such sortie in days). The Russians then launched a single fighter-bomber from Hmemmem at 21.03, followed by one of their reconnaissance aircraft (this was last sighted while passing above Sarqib, around 21.13), then another fighter-bomber, at 22.33hrs, and, finally, two fighter-bombers at 23.26 hrs.

Totals

VKS

Fighter-bombers: 23

Recce: 4

SyAAF

L-39: 1

Helicopters: 1

MiG-21: 0

MiG-23: 1

Su-22: 3

Su-24: 6