A number of videos circulating on social media show the burning plane going down. Analysis shows that the downed aircraft was a Su-27 family fighter, suggesting it may have been an advanced Su-35.
It should be noted that reports indicate that the aircraft fell victim to friendly fire – it was shot down by Russian anti-aircraft defense systems. Russian military aviation often falls victim to its own anti-aircraft defense systems, which is attributed to disorganization and insufficient professionalism in the ranks of the soldiers.
So far, the Russian Ministry of Defense has refrained from official comments on the incident.
The downing of a Russian military aircraft over occupied Crimea raises questions about the effectiveness and coordination of Russia’s anti-aircraft defense capabilities and casts a shadow over its military operations in the region, Defense Blog writes.
The Kremlin-appointed governor of Sevastopol, Mikhail Razvozhaev, later confirmed the incident and revealed the fate of the pilot.
The pilot successfully ejected from the aircraft and was later rescued by the Sevastopol rescue service about 200 meters from the shore, he said.
“Su-35” is a single-seat, twin-engine, highly maneuverable fighter. Originally developed from the Su-27 in the Soviet Union, this aircraft model was known as the Su-27M. It was equipped with canards (small front wings) and a multi-function radar. The first prototype made its first flight in 1988. in June. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, Sukhoi renamed it the Su-35 to attract export orders.
in 2003 Suchoy has begun a second modernization of the Su-27 – to serve as an interim aircraft until the Su-57 program is launched. The cockpit and weapon control system were redesigned, directional motors were installed instead of canards. The first flight of this type of aircraft took place in 2008. in February And although the plane was intended for export, in 2009 it was put into production by the Russian Air Force, and the serial version was named Su-35S. The Chinese People’s Liberation Army Air Force also placed an order for this model.
in 2016 In January, Russia used the Su-35S in combat for the first time, sending four aircraft to Syria. This helped to identify and subsequently resolve a number of problems with the aircraft, such as those related to the aircraft’s avionics.
During the Ukrainian war, Russian Su-30SM and Su-35S fighters were used in air superiority missions. At least seven aerial victories against Ukrainian fighters and one victory against a Ukrainian Navy Mil Mi-14 helicopter are reported.
Russia has lost eight Su-35s in Ukraine, according to open-source intelligence, marking the second such aircraft to have been shot down by Russian forces.
