6A-Adversaries: Russian Federation (2001-)

This collection features Russian weapons involved in hostilities with U.S. and NATO forces during my service as a defense contractor.

After a period of relatively warmer relations between Russia and the United States while I served in the USAF, Russia became increasingly hostile and aggressive. Russia resumed sending bombers and signals intelligence aircraft near U.S. and NATO airspace. Additionally, Russia began conducting dangerous mock attacks on ships in international waters and air bases in Northern Europe. While conflicts in the former Soviet republics of Chechnya and Georgia did not initially attract significant U.S. attention, Russian intervention in the Syrian Civil War and the invasion of Ukraine have brought U.S. and Russian forces into direct confrontation on several occasions.

Airspace Violations
* Il-20 (Russian Aerospace Forces): 2014, Estonia
* Mi-8AMTSh (Russian Aerospace Forces): 2016, Lithuania
* MiG-25RBT (Russian Aerospace Forces): 2014, Estonia
• MiG-31B (Russian Aerospace Forces); 2022, Finland
• Su-24 (Russian Aerospace Forces): 2014, Sweden; 2014, Latvia; 2015, Türkiye; 2024, Sweden
• Su-27 (Russian Aerospace Forces): 2013, Sweden; 2014, Finland; 2016 Finland and Estonia; 2024, Sweden
• Su-30SM (Russian Aerospace Forces): 2015, Türkiye
* Tu-22M3 (Russian Aerospace Forces): 2013, Sweden
• Tu-95MS Bear-H (Russian Aerospace Forces): 2012, USA, Alaskan Peninsula; 2013, Japan, Kuril Islands; 2024, Finland

Unprofessional Interceptions in International Airspace
* Ka-27 Helix (Russian Naval Aviation): 2016, USS Donald Cook in Baltic Sea
• Su-24 (Russian Aerospace Forces): 2016, USS Donald Cook in Baltic Sea
• Su-27 (Russian Aerospace Forces): 2014, forced RC-135W to take evasive action into Swedish airspace; 2016, 10ft closure w/ P-8A over Black Sea; 2017, barrel roll over RC-135U over Baltic Sea; 2018, 20ft closure w/ P-8A over Baltic Sea; 2020, 10ft closure w/ RC-135 over Baltic Sea; 2020, barrel roll over P-8A over Black Sea;
- Su-30SM (Russian Naval Aviation); 2020, flew directly in front of P-8A over Black Sea
* Su-35S (Russian Aerospace Forces): 2019, P-8A over Black Sea; 2020, P-8A Mediterranean Sea; 2024, F-16 Alaska ADIZ

Syrian Civil War Incidents
* An-30B Clank (Russian Aerospace Forces): 2023, overflew US base in Syria multiple times
* Mi-8AMTSh (Russian Aerospace Forces): 2015, shot down attempting to find Su-24M2 crew downed by Turkey
* Orlan-10 (Russian Aerospace Forces): 2015 and 2019, violated Turkish airspace and shot down by F-16
• Su-24M2 (Russian Aerospace Forces): 2015, violated Turkish airspace and shot down by F-16; 2017, encroached US-controlled airspace
• Su-30SM Flanker-C (Russian Aerospace Forces); 2017, flew directly under a flight of 2 A-10s in US-controlled airspace
* Su-34 Fullback (Russian Aerospace Forces): 2020 strike on Turkish convoy
* Su-35S (Russian Aerospace Forces): 2023, damaged two MQ-9 with flares
* Su-57 (Russian Aerospace Forces): 2018, unverified attack on US advisors in retaliation for Battle of Khasham
* SA-21 Growler (Russian Ground Forces): 2015, deployed to Turkish border after Su-24 shootdown; 2021, fired on Israeli F-16
- SA-22 Pantsir-S1 (Russian Ground Forces): 2017, shot down US Army RQ-21A UAV
* BRDM-2 (Russian PMC Wagner): 2018, Battle of Khasham
• T-55 (Russian PMC Wagner): 2018, Battle of Khasham
• T-72 (Russian PMC Wagner): 2018, Battle of Khasham
• ZU-23-2 (Russian PMC Wagner): 2018, Battle of Khasham

Eastern Europe and Black Sea Incidents
• Geran-2 (Russian Ground Forces); multiple overflights of NATO airspace en route to Ukrainian targets
• Su-27SM Flanker-E (Russian Aerospace Forces); 2023, collision and destruction of MQ-9 over Black Sea
* SS-26 Stone (Russian Ground Forces); multiple overflights of NATO airspace en route to Ukrainian targets

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