Ukrainian forces claim to have shot down a Russian Su-30 fighter jet worth an estimated £38 million ($47 million) over the Black Sea near occupied Crimea, dealing another blow to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s military capabilities in the region.
Dramatic footage released by Ukraine’s military intelligence agency shows what appears to be the Russian jet spiraling into the sea after reportedly firing missiles at Ukrainian targets. The incident occurred on September 11, 2024, at approximately 5 a.m. local time, according to Ukrainian officials.
The Su-30, a sophisticated twin-engine fighter aircraft, was reportedly based at the Saki military airfield in Crimea and belonged to the 43rd separate naval aviation regiment of the Russian Armed Forces. Ukrainian sources state that the jet had launched four of its six Kh-31P supersonic anti-radar missiles at unspecified Ukrainian targets before it was allegedly hit.
While some Russian Telegram channels suggested that the aircraft suffered from technical problems, Ukraine’s military intelligence firmly asserted their role in the jet’s demise. “During an operation in the waters of the Black Sea, soldiers of the special unit of the GUR of the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine destroyed a Russian Su-30SM combat aircraft,” the statement read.
Debris, including a wing and an oil slick from the supersonic warplane, was later found in waters off the Crimean peninsula. Russian rescue operations reportedly located the wreckage about 70 kilometers northwest of Cape Tarkhankut.
The loss of the Su-30 fighter jet represents a significant setback for the Russian military, which has now lost a dozen of these advanced aircraft to Ukrainian strikes since the conflict began. The Su-27 and Su-30 jets are considered prized assets in Moscow’s military arsenal and have been frequently deployed in operations against Ukraine.
Reports indicate that the two-man crew, identified as Captain Egor Stepanishin, 26, from Novosibirsk, and weapons officer Captain Fomin, were unable to eject from the aircraft. A search operation failed to locate the crew members, who have been declared dead.
This incident occurs against the backdrop of increased Ukrainian military activity, including a significant incursion into Russian territory in the Kursk region that began on August 6. Ukrainian forces claim to still hold substantial areas of Russian territory in what is described as the largest cross-border operation since World War II.
Furthermore, recent drone attacks have reached as far as Moscow, with Ukrainian UAVs reportedly causing fires in a residential area just 30 miles south of the Kremlin. These operations demonstrate Ukraine’s growing capability to strike deep within Russian territory and challenge Putin’s military superiority.
The downing of the Su-30 fighter jet, if confirmed, would mark another in a series of precision strikes by Ukrainian forces against high-value Russian military assets. As the conflict continues to evolve, such losses could have significant implications for Russia’s air superiority in the region and its overall military strategy in the ongoing war with Ukraine.
