Summary:
Russia’s air defenses reportedly downed a Su-30SM fighter jet over occupied Crimea while trying to repel Ukrainian drone strikes, according to Ukraine’s Navy.
Ukraine’s Navy said intercepted Russian radio traffic confirmed that the Su-30SM caught fire after being hit by Russian air defense systems during a wave of Ukrainian drone attacks overnight. Both pilots ejected safely before the jet crashed in northwestern Crimea.
Navy spokesman Dmytro Pletenchuk told Ukrainian television that “they were repelling Ukrainian attacks so actively that they ended up shooting down their own plane.”
Russia’s Defense Ministry claimed to have destroyed 61 Ukrainian drones, including 38 over Crimea and the Black Sea, but did not comment on the alleged friendly fire. Crimea’s Moscow-installed governor said drone strikes caused power outages by damaging substations but made no mention of the downed jet.
Ukrainian outlets reported that the attacks also ignited an oil depot at the Gvardeyskoye air base, where Russia is believed to store Iranian-made Shahed drones used in assaults on Ukraine.