Ukraine Blasts Latest-Generation Russian Warplane For First Time

Ukrainian forces have for the first time hit a latest-generation Russian Sukhoi Su-57 fighter jet at an air base inside Russia, Kyiv's GUR defense intelligence agency said on Sunday, showing satellite pictures which it said confirmed the strike, Max Hunder and Mark Trevelyan reported for Reuters.

The jet fighter was said to be struck by shrapnel and the damage was currently being assessed to see if the aircraft could be repaired. I PPhoto: Anna Zvereva Wikimedia Commons 

In a Telegram post, the GUR did not specify how the Su-57 was hit or by which unit of the Ukrainian military.

A popular Russian pro-war military blogger who calls himself Fighterbomber and focuses on aviation said the report of the strike on the Su-57 was correct and that it had been hit by a drone.

The GUR said the aircraft was parked at the Akhtubinsk airfield, which it said was 589 km (366 miles) from front 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 8), there were craters from the explosion and characteristic spots of fire caused by fire damage near it," the GUR said, with the images posted alongside the message.

Ukraine, which lacks the vast arsenal of missiles available to Moscow, has focused on making long-range drones to strike targets deep inside Russia. Russian blogger Fighterbomber said the jet fighter was struck by shrapnel and the damage was currently being assessed to see if the aircraft could be repaired.