Jens Asbjørn Bøgen
The pilot reportedly managed to eject before the craft exploded.
Russian news outlet Astra reported that a military aircraft plummeted near Zvenigorod, a town sitting just west of the Russian capital, Moscow.
Preliminary updates point toward the downed aircraft being a Su-57, which represents Russia’s only operational fifth-generation stealth fighter.
If verified, this sudden loss marks a devastating blow to the Kremlin’s modern combat fleet.
Pilot thought to have ejected
Eyewitnesses in local online group chats quickly began sharing video footage and frantic updates straight from the ground.
“The plane fell, a parachute flew nearby,” one witness said, describing the sudden crash as it unfolded. “It all happened practically in front of our eyes. He definitely ejected, but how well he survived, I do not know.”
Another resident noted that the pilot managed to escape seconds before the impact, adding that “the pilot ejected, then the fighter exploded.”
Official confirmation regarding the cause of the disaster or the condition of the aircrew remains unavailable from defense authorities.
Some online reports suggest the plane was repelling a Ukrainian drone attack when the pilot lost control, others say the plane was hit by friendly fire, but none of these reports have yet been confirmed.
A costly loss
According to United24 Media, the development of the Su-57 began back in 2001 under the ambitious PAK-FA program to create a new frontline combat jet. Sukhoi unveiled a full-scale mock-up three years later, though the prototype took its maiden flight in 2010.
Ten prototypes underwent testing during a lengthy trial phase. Years of technical delays repeatedly slowed the project, and Moscow only accepted its very first production model into service in 2020.
Estimates place the domestic cost of a single Su-57 between 35 million and 50 million dollars, with export packages running far higher.
Moscow has produced relatively few of these advanced jets with some estimates suggesting Russia had only 20 Su-57’s before the crash, making every single loss a painful setback.
