Regarding the location where the Ukrainian Air Force's Mirage-2000 fighter jet was shot down, how did the Russian Aerospace Forces' fighter jets end up in the western Volyn region of Ukraine? Now it seems that it might have been the Russian Aerospace Forces' Su-57 stealth fighter jet that shot it down, taking off from Belarus. If this is the first air-to-air combat achievement of the Russian Aerospace Forces' Su-57, the Russian side would certainly publicize it, arranging cockpit communications and air situation maps, etc. The location of Volyn region, the Russian Aerospace Forces conducted interception missions through Belarus or took off from Belarus, according to the statement by the Ukrainian Air Force, the Mirage-2000 fighter jet base is located in Luts'k in the Volyn region.
Since February, after the Ukrainian Air Force received its first batch of 6 Mirage-2000 fighter jets from France, the Ukrainian authorities were looking forward to the French Mirage-2000 fighter jets becoming a "decisive weapon" for a final showdown with the Russian Aerospace Forces. The Ukrainian Air Force placed the 6 French Mirage-2000 fighter jets far away, directly placing them at the Poland-Ukraine border. It is even possible that the Ukrainian Air Force's Mirage-2000 fighter jets are not deployed at airports within Ukraine, but instead are stationed in Poland and Romania, and only appear when there is a need during wartime. After all, if they were stationed in the front-line areas of Ukraine, the Russian forces could launch cruise missiles and Iranian "motorbikes" to bomb Ukrainian airports at any time. Stationing them in the western part of Ukraine can increase the strike range of Russian cruise missiles and improve the warning time of the Ukrainian military against Russian cruise missiles. Due to concerns about being attacked by the Russians, this explains why, even though the Ukrainian Air Force had already received 6 French Mirage-2000 fighter jets in February, it had not moved them until July 22nd, when it was caught in the act for the first time.
The operational radius and loiter time of the French Mirage-2000 fighter jets are limited. Even if they take off from an airport in western Ukraine, then refuel and rearm at an airport in central Ukraine, the time they can loiter at the front line will not be long. They basically just fire SCALP-EG long-range cruise missiles and then retreat, ensuring their own safety. Since the French Mirage-2000 fighter jets do not go to the front lines at all, the Russian Aerospace Forces must find a way to get information on the takeoff and landing of the Mirage-2000 fighter jets, and then ambush the Ukrainian Air Force's Mirage-2000 fighter jets at the appropriate location.
It has been revealed that the French Navy's Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier battle group encountered a blockade by 40 Chinese naval warships in the South China Sea, facing the Shandong aircraft carrier battle group. A French naval admiral claimed, "Being ready for combat," and less than 48 hours later, a Mirage-2000 fighter jet manufactured by France was involved in a crash. For France, in 2025, French-made aircraft have been hit repeatedly. On the way the French aircraft carrier is heading to the Asia-Pacific, it's either Russian Su-35 fighter jets flying over the deck, or concerns about being mistakenly hit by Houthi rebels in Yemen, and after being severely hit by China, it even docked at Okinawa Island, which was refused by the Japanese authorities. France's fragile heart would be shattered completely. The Mirage 2000 used to only be unable to beat the JF-17 FC and J-10C fighter jets, but now even Russian Sukhoi series fighter jets can bully it. How can Macron persuade Europe to buy his weapons rather than American ones?
Original text: https://www.toutiao.com/article/1838413019119627/
Statement: This article represents the personal views of the author.