Ukraine appears to have shot down a Russian Su-30SM fighter jet in a separate incident on Wednesday, with both crew members reportedly killed, according to reports citing Russian military aviation sources.
The Russian military aviation-linked Telegram channel Fighterbomber acknowledged the loss, with the report indicating that both crew members had died. Ukrainian and Russian military-focused social media accounts have also reported the incident. However, the circumstances surrounding the aircraft’s loss, including its location and the method used to bring it down, remain unclear.
The reported incident comes on the same day that another Russian Su-30SM fighter jet crashed in the Kaliningrad region during a scheduled training flight. Russia’s Defence Ministry said the crew of that aircraft ejected safely and were evacuated by a ground search-and-rescue team.
The two incidents are being reported separately. Unlike the Kaliningrad crash, in which the Russian authorities reported that both pilots survived, the crew of the second aircraft were reportedly killed.
As of Wednesday, independent confirmation of the circumstances surrounding the second aircraft’s loss was not available in the reports reviewed. The location of the alleged shootdown and the weapon or system involved have also not been established.
The Su-30SM is a Russian twin-engine, two-seat multirole fighter designed for air-to-air combat and air-to-ground missions. The aircraft is operated by Russia’s Aerospace Forces and naval aviation units.
