Ukrainian forces have hit a latest-generation Russian Su-57 fighter jet at an air base inside Russia for the first time, Kyiv’s GUR defence intelligence agency said on Sunday, citing satellite images that corroborated the strike.
The GUR stated that the aircraft was stationed at the Akhtubinsk airstrip, which is 589 kilometres (366 miles) from the combat lines in Ukraine between Ukrainian and Russian invasion forces.
“The pictures show that on June 7, the Su-57 was standing intact, and on (June 8th), there were craters from the explosion and characteristic spots of fire caused by fire damage near it”, the GUR continued.
Ukraine has been facing an all-out Russian invasion since February 2022. Both sides use missiles and drones to carry out regular strikes hundreds of kilometres into hostile territory.
Ukraine, which lacks Moscow’s enormous arsenal of missiles, has focused on developing long-range drones capable of striking targets deep inside Russia.
Despite being promoted as a Russian fifth-generation fighter aircraft to rival its American counterpart, the Su-57 suffered development delays and a crash in 2019.
According to the company, serial production of the aircraft began in 2022. It is a heavy fighter jet capable of performing a range of tactical missions.
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