Ukraine has claimed that its forces had attacked an ultra-modern Su-57 Russian fighter jet stationed at an air base nearly 600 kilometres (370 miles) from the front lines, after its Western allies gave a green signal to Kyiv to use their weapons in limited strikes inside Russia.
If confirmed, it would be Ukraine’s first known successful attack on a Su-57 fighter jet, a twin-engine stealth fighter hailed as Moscow’s most advanced military aircraft.
Kyiv’s main military intelligence agency released satellite photographs purporting to show the aftermath of the attack. However, Moscow did not immediately comment on the report.
US and European Leaders React
This development comes after US President Joe Biden said Vladimir Putin would not end the war in Ukraine and vowed to support Europe against Russia.
Biden said Europe was threatened by the Russian president as French President Emmanuel Macron welcomed him to Paris and the duo pledged solidarity amid the wars raging across Europe and the Middle East.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the Russian military has failed in its offensive on Kharkiv launched nearly a month ago. He said Ukrainian forces are “restraining” their advance as much as possible.
Ukraine Releases Pictures Of Destroyed Russian Su-57 Stealth Fighter
Ukrainian intelligence agency has released satellite images they say show the impact of the latest attack on Russian territory, targeting one of Moscow’s most advanced fighter jets.
The images reveal the aftermath of a likely drone attack on the Akhtubinsk base in southern Russia, during which a Su-57 jet was hit.
The Su-57, capable of carrying stealth missiles hundreds of kilometres, was one of “a countable few” of the type in Moscow’s arsenal, according to Kyiv’s intelligence agency. Russia did not comment over the weekend on Ukrainian claims about the attack on its air base.
Ukraine-Russia War: Evidence of Damage?
In a photo taken on Friday, June 7, a day before the attack, an aircraft is parked on the airbase’s runway, but the photo taken on Saturday shows black soot spots in the same spot and craters around the parked Sukhoi.
According to Russian agencies, Moscow’s armed forces received “more than 10” new Su-57s in 2023, of which 76 are expected to be produced by 2028.