MOSCOW, May 11 (AVN) - The SU-24MR Fencer reconnaissance plane missing in Chechnya since May 7 is constantly being searched for but with no results so far, Air Force Commander Anatoly Kornukov told the Military News Agency on Thursday.
However so far there are no grounds for saying that the crew of the plane perished, he stressed. There is hope that they managed to escape.
The commander refuted rebel claims of having shot down the plane. According to him, it is very unlikely that the guerrillas have such up-to-date means of air defence as, say, Stinger missiles, although this should not be ruled out, he noted.
The search for the plane is complicated by unfavourable weather conditions. As of today, the rescue aviation has already flown 60 sorties but to no avail, Kornukov went on.
He also said that Colonel-General Gennady Troshev, commander of the unified federal group, had ordered to summon additional ground scouting groups to the rescue operation.