Anti Air event in Zaporizhzhia, Zaporizhzhia area, Ukraine on Mon 18th December 2023

Reports have emerged that Russian forces appear to have shot down one of their own Su-25 ground-attack and close-air-support jets as it flew over the occupied Zaporizhia region in eastern Ukraine.

Details regarding the exact location of the Russian combat aircraft crash site remain undisclosed. However, narratives from Kremlin-backed media suggest that the Su-25 was engaged in active combat operations, resulting in the pilot’s confirmed fatality.

The commander of Ukraine’s Air Force, Mykola Oleshchuk, stated via Telegram that the Su-25 was reportedly shot down by Russian air defense systems.

Russian propagandist Ilya Tumanov, on his influential Fighterbomber channel, confirmed the loss of the Su-25 from the Russian Aerospace Forces.

The Su-25, known by its NATO classification as the Frogfoot, is a single-seat, armored subsonic attack aircraft designed to provide air support in combat zones. Its operational capabilities span day and night missions, relying on visual target identification and precision strikes even in adverse weather conditions.