2024 Hunsrück crisis

2024 Hunsrück crisis
Part of Ruthish conflict
Deliberate forest fires being set within the demilitarised zone in West Ruthen
Date 6 October 2024 – present Location Ruthish Demilitarized Zone Result Ongoing
Belligerents
East Ruthen	West Ruthen	UCMAR
Commanders and leaders
Rebecca Blankenburg	Gunnar Schönau	Bent Solheim
Casualties and losses
1 soldier killed "Several" soldiers injured 1 pilot injured	1 soldier killed Unknown soldiers injured	none

The 2024 Hunsrück crisis is an ongoing diplomatic and military crisis in the Ruthish Demilitarized Zone between East Ruthen and West Ruthen which began following the crash of an East Ruthish F35 Aircraft on 6 October 2024. The crisis follows years of tensions from the aftermath of the Six-Day War between East Ruthen and West Ruthen and marks the lowest point in relations between the two states. The crisis also involves the international United Congress Monitoring Authority for Ruthen (UCMAR) which was established in 1999 to police the demilitarized zone.

Background

• Six-Days War, DMZ established
• DMZ basically ignored by both sides despite UCMAR protesting this
• Heavily militarised region and frequent target of sabotage events, illegal crossings, shooting incidents etc. Heavily mined
• Years of rising tensions. Shootouts occurred semi-frequently alongside revenge attacks conducted ad hoc without approval but never disciplined.
• Election of a more conservative aggressive government in the East and a renewed defence policy in 2020 focusing on deterrance.

Crisis

East Ruthish F35 crash

2024 Hunsrück crisis

The F35A aircraft that was shot down, 6 months prior to the incident.
Incident
Date	6 October 2024 (2024-10-06)
Summary	Disputed (see crash)
Site	Near Rosche, Ruthish Demilitarized Zone, West Ruthen
Aircraft
Aircraft type	Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II
Operator	East Ruthen
Registration	5288
Flight origin	Walle Joint Air-Force Base, East Ruthen
Occupants	1
Crew	1
Injuries	1
Survivors	1

• Takes off from Walle on a routine mission near the DMZ
• Disputed series of events
• Flew within the East's side of the DMZ, shot down by illegally placed western air defences and crashed in the Black Zone, aircraft debris removed and take to the west before UCMAR could get it according to East Ruthen
• F35 experienced an engine failure and crashed in the western blue zone. Pilot ejects but severely injured with whiplash and broken bones and had to be placed in an induced coma at a nearby military facility according to West Ruthen

Stefan Reichenbach

Stefan Reichenbach (born 17 June 1992) was detained and placed into an induced coma following the crash of his aircraft

• Pilot for East Ruthen
• Impeccable safety record blah blah blah
• Orphaned during the Six Days War

6 October

• Crash/shootdown of the F35
• Reichenbach found severely injured in a wooded area. Detained and placed in an induced coma
• East activates National Security Council

7 October

• Shelling of unoccupied areas of the DMZ by East Ruthen
• West Ruthen responds by flying supersonic along the DMZ within Western airspace

8 October

• 6am shootout between east and west near Rosche kills two soldiers
• UCMAR wakes up
• East activates civil defence programmes
• Waldrich calls for peace (In East's favour)

Reactions

International

• Waldrich - calling for de-escalation, while also reiterating West Ruthen's right to defend itself and warning against eastern aggression