A Russian Su-25 attack aircraft crashed into the Sea of Azov near the coastal city of Yeisk.
The pilot managed to eject from the aircraft, and local officials confirmed that he was successfully rescued from the water. His status is unknown.
The incident occurred off the beaches near Yeisk, a city that stretches along the Sea of Azov, in the Krasnodar Territory.
A video circulating on social media shows a parachute descending over the sea near the shoreline, followed by a significant splash as the aircraft plunged into the water.
“At about 15:00, information was received that a Su-25 plane crashed near the coast. There were no casualties or damage as a result of the incident,” the operational headquarters of the Krasnodar Territory reported in a statement. “According to available information, the pilot ejected and was promptly evacuated by rescuers. Specialists of the Ministry of Defense and special services are working on the spot to establish the causes of the plane crash.”
The Russian news agency TASS reported that the jet crashed while on a test flight, probably following a maintenance operation. The Southern Military District cited engine failure as a possible cause.
The Sukhoi Su-25, known by its NATO reporting name “Frogfoot,” is a single-seat, twin-engine, close-air support aircraft designed for ground attack missions. It has been in service with the Russian Air Force since the late 1970s.
According to the Oryx blog, which documents the loss of equipment during the invasion of Ukraine by Russia, this marks the 31st visually confirmed destruction of a Russian Su-25 attack aircraft since the beginning of the invasion of Ukraine.