Belarus military aircraft flights resumed

Military aircraft flights that were suspended following the June 12 crash of a Su-25 ground attack plane in the Hrodna region were resumed on Thursday.

However, only the aircraft that will be involved in the July 3 Independence Day parade in Minsk are now allowed to fly, whereas the other aircraft still remain grounded, Colonel Uladzimir Makaraw, spokesman for the defense ministry’s Main Ideology Directorate, told BelaPAN.

The Independence Day parade is expected to feature Mi-8 and Mi-24 helicopters of the 50th Composed Air Base in Machulischy near Minsk and the 181st Combat Helicopter Base in Pruzhany, Brest region; three Mi-2 helicopters of the Voluntary Society for Cooperation with the Army, Aviation and Fleet; Su-27 and MiG-29 fighters of the 61st Fighter Base in Baranavichy, Brest region; and Su-25 ground attack aircraft of the 206th Attack Air Base in Lida, Hrodna region.

Dress rehearsals for the flyovers are scheduled to take place on June 27 and June 29.

Unlike in previous years, Su-24 bombers, which have recently been retired, L-39 jet trainers and an Il-36 airlifter will not be involved in the parade.

The Su-25 ground attack plane that crashed in the Navahrudak district on June 12 belonged to the 116th Air Base in Lida. The pilot, Lieutenant Colonel Mikalay Hrydnew, was killed in the crash.

Five pilots of the Belarusian Air and Air Defense Force have been killed and four warplanes have been lost in accidents since mid-2009.