Ukraine says it targeted and destroyed one of Russia’s most advanced fighter jets in a strike over the weekend.
The Ukrainian Defense Intelligence Agency announced the strike on Sunday, saying that it had targeted Sukhoi Su-57 fighter jets over the weekend in the Akhtubinsk airfield, which is 360 miles behind the frontline of the conflict.
The agency posted satellite pictures in its Telegram channel to support the claim, writing “the Russian aerospace forces have only a handful of these combat aircraft in service.”
The attack comes just over a week after the U.S. and other NATO allies gave Kyiv permission to use Western advanced long-range weapons for strikes inside of Russia, though initial reports suggest the strike make have been carried out using a Ukrainian drone.
The Su-57 is a supersonic, twin-engine, fifth-generation stealth fighter jet and was seen as Moscow’s answer to Western stealth jets like the US Air Force’s F-22 Raptor.
According to Flight Global’s 2024 World Air Forces Directory, there are currently 14 Su-57s in active service.
First developed in 2002, the first Su-57 entered service in 2020 and Sukhoi only began mass producing the plane in 2022. The aircraft has faced a series of roadblocks including a crash in 2019, according to the US military. According to the Foreign Policy Research Institute, an SU-57 costs anywhere from $35 million to $54 million.
At the end of 2022, TASS reported that Russian forces will receive a total of 22 Su-57s by the end of the year.
Popular Russian pro-military blogger Flightbomber, who closely follows the Russian air force, reposted photos provided by Ukraine on Telegram and said they indicated the jet was struck by a Ukrainian drone.
The attack comes as Ukraine says it has largely halted Russia’s offensive in the Kharkiv region.
In its post Sunday, Ukraine noted the Su-57 could carry KH-59 and Kh-69 cruise missiles, which can be launched into Ukraine from Russian air space.
If the reports of the drone strike are true, it would be in line with a low-cost and highly effective strategy deployed by Ukraine in its fight against Russia. Since the beginning of 2024, Ukraine has also attacked more than 15 Russian refineries and oil depots with drones.
