The Russian aircraft was reportedly downed by friendly fire during an operation against Ukrainian drones, according to officials and independent sources.
On the night of October 17, Russia’s air defense forces reportedly shot down one of their own Su-30SM fighter jets over Crimea, according to a statement made by the Ukrainian Navy spokesperson, Dmytro Pletenchuk, during a broadcast on the Apostrophe TV channel.
According to Pletenchuk, the fighter was conducting a drone interception mission when it was mistakenly targeted by Russian defense systems. The two-pilot crew managed to eject successfully before the crash.
“All information about the incident is being collected,” said the Ukrainian Navy representative.
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Russian sources confirm the incident
The episode was also reported by Russian military bloggers specializing in aviation, who confirmed that the aircraft was hit after a missile was launched at one of the drones. A fire reportedly broke out onboard, and the pilots were unable to contain the flames, leading to the total destruction of the aircraft.
Sources linked to Russian aviation suggested several possible causes for the incident, including technical failure, missile explosion after launch, impact from drone fragments, or even a misidentification error that caused the air defense system to fire on its own jet.
The role of the Su-30SM in Russian defense
According to analyst Denys Tonenchuk from the MilitaryAviation project, interviewed by the portal Militarnyi, Russia has been extensively using Su-30SM fighters in its integrated air defense network, particularly over the Black Sea.
“These aircraft are primarily involved in air defense operations without the use of guided bombs. Some also conduct missions against maritime targets,” Tonenchuk explained.
The Su-30SM is a twin-seat multirole fighter capable of engaging aerial, ground, and naval targets. It also conducts patrols over the Black Sea to counter Ukrainian naval drones.
Growing losses in the Black Sea Fleet
In August, reports indicated that Russia had already lost more than half of the Su-30SM jets belonging to the 43rd Aviation Regiment of the Black Sea Fleet, based in Crimea. At the start of the full-scale invasion, the regiment had 12 Su-30SM aircraft, the equivalent of a full squadron.
The loss of yet another aircraft of this type underscores the coordination and overload problems faced by Russian air defense systems, which operate under constant strain from repeated drone interceptions over the occupied peninsula.
Source and images: Militarnyi | Wikimedia Commons | Apostrophe TV. Content created with AI assistance and reviewed by the editorial team.
