The Sukhoi Su-57 has been used by the Russian air force since the end of 2020, replacing aging Soviet combat aircraft of the Su-27 or MiG-29 type.
On Saturday, “a Su-57 multipurpose fighter of the aggressor state was struck at the Akhtubinsk airfield, in the Russian region of Astrakhan” almost 600 km from the Russian-Ukrainian border, the Russian security service said. Ukrainian military intelligence GUR. This neutralization of a Su-57 “is a first in history,” he added.
Ukraine’s intelligence agency also released satellite images before and after the attack, showing fire damage and debris around a Su-57 parked at an airfield.
She did not specify how the attack was carried out, and did not directly claim responsibility.
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But a Source within the Ukrainian intelligence services told AFP that the GUR had carried out the strike with Ukrainian-made combat drones.
This structure within the Ukrainian Defense Ministry is known for its daring operations deep into Russia and the Ukrainian territories it occupies.
Ukraine often targets, via drone attacks, military and energy infrastructure in Russia, sometimes located hundreds of kilometers from the front line.
On Saturday, Russian air defenses shot down three drones over the Astrakhan region, according to the Russian Defense Ministry.
