The Indian publication IDRW has questioned the authenticity of photographs being circulated as evidence of the second Indian MiG-29 being shot down by a Pakistani J-10CE fighter. An analysis of the published images showed that the visible wreckage has structural features inconsistent with a MiG-29, so the photograph cannot serve as independent confirmation of the claimed loss of the Russian fighter.
The reason for the check was the images of Pakistani J-10CEs with air victory marks. After their appearance, photographs of wreckage, which were linked to the MiG-29, began to spread on social networks.
However, IDRW drew attention to the wing geometry, the location of the aerodynamic ridge, and the mechanization elements: according to these features, the wreckage, according to the publication's assessment, more closely resembles a MiG-21.
At the same time, the image itself, according to IDRW's analysis, is not necessarily a fake. The publication suggests that the photograph may be genuine but relate to a much older disaster. The original link to the image, which would allow for precise identification of the location, date, and circumstances of the accident, is not provided, according to IDRW.
Therefore, the appearance of the wreckage photograph does not yet allow for the determination of the type of lost aircraft, let alone linking its defeat to a specific J-10CE. Independent confirmation of the claim of a shot-down MiG-29 could not be found.
This refers to the hostilities between India and Pakistan in May 2025, when, after a sharp escalation of relations, the parties led to a series of strikes and air operations. Subsequently, various statements about aviation losses appeared in the public domain, but the circumstances of individual episodes and the number of downed aircraft continue to remain disputed.
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