Ukrainian forces claim to have shot down a Russian fighter jet worth almost £40million over the Black Sea with US-built missiles in another humiliation for President Vladimir Putin.
The aircraft was reported to have been lost last night after launching several missiles towards Ukraine, according to blogger Crimean Wind last night.
Ukraine’s main intelligence directorate today said “scouts in the Black Sea” were responsible for downing the Su-30SM, which cost £38 million ($50 million) each.
A statement shared today said: “During the operation in the waters of the Black Sea, the soldiers of the special unit of the GUR of the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine destroyed the Russian combat plane Su-30SM with a hit from MANPADS.
“The fighter that fell into the sea belonged to the 43rd separate naval aviation regiment of the Russian Armed Forces, which is based at the airfield of the city of Saki in the temporarily occupied Crimea.”
The statement continued: “The occupiers lost contact with their warship on September 11, 2024 around 5 am. Roughly three hours later, the Russians began a search and rescue operation involving the An-26 aircraft, as well as Mi-8 and Ka-27 helicopters.”
️At lunchtime, the Russian search party spotted a “characteristic stain from aviation fuel” in the sea, 50 miles northwest of Cape Tarkhankut, subsequently discovering wreckage from the plane, the statement continued.
There is no indication yet about the safety of the jet’s crew.
The Su-30SM fighter jet, which was first deployed the Russian Air Force 12 years ago, is regarded as one of Russia’s most advanced aircraft.
It is specifically designed for air superiority missions is able to carry out ground-attack roles.
Earlier this year, an Su-34 fighter-bomber crashed in North Ossetia, killing the crew on board.
Similar accidents have been confirmed in other parts of Russia recently, including a Mi-8 helicopter crash in the Chelyabinsk region last year in which all passengers were killed.
In June, Ukraine’s military published a map detailing strikes which had damaged or destroyed in excess of 30 Russian aircraft at that point in 2024.