Ukraine Loses Su-27 Fighter Jet During Russian Air Attack, Pilot Survives

Ukraine’s Air Force lost a Su-27 fighter jet during a morning operation to repel a Russian air attack.

The Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine stated this on its official Telegram channel.

The aircraft was performing a complex combat mission, providing air support to ground forces and countering enemy strike drones, when it was lost.

A special commission has been formed to investigate the cause of the incident and produce an official report.

The pilot successfully ejected and is in stable condition. A search and rescue team was dispatched to the site and transported the pilot to a medical facility.

The Su-27 remains the Ukrainian Air Force’s only type of heavy fighter jet. It is actively used for intercepting air targets and supporting ground forces.

Previous photos have shown Su-27s carrying out missions with AGM-88 HARM anti-radar missiles and dropping precision-guided munitions such as the SDB-1, JDAM-ER, and AASM-250.

Prior to Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, most Su-27s in the fleet were unserviceable. However, a number of aircraft have since been restored to maintain operational readiness.

Militarnyi reported that on Saturday, April 12, 26-year-old pilot Pavlo Ivanov had died during a combat mission in an F-16 fighter.

F-16 pilots are conducting missions daily under extremely challenging conditions, providing fighter cover for strike groups and engaging enemy targets.

That was the second fatal incident involving the F-16s, which only recently entered service with the Ukrainian Air Force.
In August last year, an F-16 crashed while repelling another Russian air attack.