A military plane crashed in Bolnisi municipality, near the village of Disveli, resulting in one fatality. Dimitri Modebadze, the mayor's representative, informed "Georgia News" of the incident.

"The helicopter crashed in the territory of the Bolnisi administrative unit. Nearby, there is a military base where only the parachute training school is currently operational. According to my information, a Su-type helicopter belonging to the Ministry of Defense crashed, catching fire in the air, and the pilot likely did not manage to eject," stated Dimitri Modebadze.

The crash occurred around 13:00, approximately three kilometers from the military base.

The Ministry of Defense confirmed the incident several hours later, stating that during scheduled military exercises involving the aviation component, a Su-25 aircraft belonging to the defense forces encountered a catastrophe. As a result, Kakhaber Zurabashvili, a pilot from the Aviation and Air Command of the Defense Forces, tragically lost his life.

"To ascertain the causes of this incident, the relevant departments of the Ministry of Defense are conducting a thorough investigation," the Ministry of Defense's statement emphasized.

In August 2023, the Georgian Ministry of Defense announced the completion of upgrades for 7 units of the Su-25 aircraft. This modernization was carried out by the state military scientific and technical center Telta and Tbilaviamshen.

The Su-25 is a single-seat jet aircraft developed by the Sukhoi Design Bureau during the Soviet Union era. Serial production of the Su-25 commenced in 1978 at the Tbilisi Aviation Factory.

Georgian News
Georgian News
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