Ukraine has attacked and hit a Russian Sukhoi Su-57, a fighter jet that was parked on a runway in the Astrakhan region of southern Russia, according to Ukraine's military intelligence agency GUR.
This is the first time a Su-57 has been hit, GUR said, according to AFP.
"On June 8, 2024, a Su-57 fighter jet intended for multiple purposes and belonging to the attacking state was hit on the Achtubinsk airfield in the Astrakhan region of Russia, 589 kilometers from the front," a statement from GUR said, according to the Ukrainian state news agency Ukrinform.
Ukraine has recently begun using long-range weapons donated from the West against Russian territory. This has occurred since more Western countries have imposed sanctions on this.
No details were given about the attack on the Russian fighter jet. However, images published by GUR are said to show an intact Su-57 on an airfield in Achtubinsk on June 7. Images from June 8 are said to show craters, wreckage, and burn marks on the same location.
The authenticity of the images has not been verified.
The Su-57 is Russia's latest pride, a so-called fifth-generation fighter jet that is supposed to be on par with the US F-22 and F-35 in some areas. The plane is Russia's first stealth fighter, meaning it can avoid detection on radar.
Russia has used the plane sparingly in the war against Ukraine, according to Ukraine's air force.
According to analysts, the reason may be that Russia does not want the plane to fall into enemy hands, which Business Insider has also reported. Another reason that has been speculated is that the plane may have technical problems.
A robot attack from a Su-57 plane against Ukraine in February failed due to technical reasons, according to Ukraine's air force. In April, Russia attempted to attack Kryvyi Rih in central Ukraine with the same type of plane.
Katri Artta Svarfvar/TT
