On Sunday, Ukraine announced that it had struck a Russian Su-57 fighter jet stationed at an airfield in southern Russia, marking its first-ever attack on Moscow’s latest generation stealth aircraft.
The Su-57, a flagship fighter, was introduced into service with Russia’s Aerospace Forces in December 2020. It was developed to replace older Soviet-era fighter aircraft such as the Su-27 and MiG-29.
“On June 8, 2024, a Su-57 multi-purpose fighter jet belonging to the aggressor state was hit at the Akhtubinsk airfield in Russia’s Astrakhan region, 589 kilometers from the line of contact,” stated Ukraine’s GUR military intelligence.
“The destruction of the Su-57 is an unprecedented event,” the GUR added.
The agency also released before-and-after satellite images purportedly showing fire damage and debris around a Su-57 jet on the airfield.
While the GUR did not disclose how the strike was conducted or claim direct responsibility, Ukraine frequently targets military and energy installations on Russian soil through drone attacks, often hundreds of kilometers from the front line.
On Saturday, Russian air defenses reportedly downed three drones over the Astrakhan region, according to Moscow’s Defense Ministry.
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