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Russia’s Su-27 Crashed Lithuanian Commander
The Commander of the Lithuanian Air Force, Colonel Jonas Marcinkus was dismissed Monday, September 26, 2005, in the wake of investigation initiated after the crash of Russia’s Su-27 fighter in Lithuania and on accusation of secret ties with the 6th Army of Russia.
Lithuanian Defense Minister Gediminas Kirkilas told the reporters yesterday Colonel Jonas Marcinkus was dismissed as advised by Commander of the Lithuanian Armed Forces Valdas Tutkus and in view of the data submitted by Lithuanian special services and the State Security Department. Kirkilas declined to elaborate on collected information, attributing the dismissal to investigation carried out because of the Su-27 crash.
Marcinkus claimed his contacts with the commanding officers of the 6th Army of Russia were authorized by Valdas Tutkus. The purpose was to find out about the Su-27 armament. Colonel thinks an operator, who was in charge of the military communication control, might have reported to the State Security Department.
Tutkus declined yesterday he had ordered Marcinkus to make any calls to Russia, and said the colonel was fired due to inappropriate behavior and because of the Su-27 accident.
Meanwhile, in Lithuania they proceed with deciphering the Su-27 blackbox. However, the sentiment of Lithuanian military has obviously changed - NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer specified last week NATO is for the civilized settlement of the accident.
Russian Su-27 fighter crashed in Sakiai, about 55 km (35 miles) from the Lithuanian city of Kaunas September 15, 2005. The Lithuanian Defense Ministry said the plane was flying between St Petersburg and the Russian enclave of Kaliningrad, which is cut off from the rest of Russia by Lithuanian and Polish territory, when it came down. The pilot was unharmed and managed to eject from the aircraft.
www.kommersant.com
All the Article in Russian as of Sep. 27, 2005
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