A Russian Aerospace Forces Su-57 fifth-generation fighter was damaged for the first time during a drone attack on an air base, according to the Intelligence Directorate of the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense (GUR).
“On June 8, 2024, a Su-57 multi-role fighter of the aggressor state was hit on the territory of the Akhtubinsk airfield in the Astrakhan region of the Russian Federation, located 589 kilometers [about 365 miles] from the combat line,” the GUR said in a press release, published along with with two satellite images allegedly showing damages on the parked aircraft.
‼️ Вперше уражено Су-57
— Defence intelligence of Ukraine (@DI_Ukraine) June 9, 2024
💥 8 червня 2024 року на території аеродрому «ахтубінск» в астраханській області рф, розташованому за 589 кілометрів від лінії бойового зіткнення, уражено багатоцільовий винищувач держави-агресора Су-57.
🔗 https://t.co/vyatL7cBjd pic.twitter.com/8wbopryp4l
The Russian Defense Ministry is yet to comment.
Mystery around Su-57 involvement in Ukraine
The Su-57, designated by NATO as “Felon,” is a fifth-generation multirole fighter developed by Sukhoi, part of United Aircraft Corporation. It is designed with passive stealth characteristics, features internal payload bays, and can achieve speeds over Mach 2. The Su-57 first flew in 2010 and was poised to compete with other fifth-generation fighter jets, such as the US-made Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor and the Chinese Chengdu J-20.
The exact number of Su-57s operational with the Russian Aerospace Forces is unclear, with some sources estimating the number to be between 14 and 22 aircraft. A total of 76 fighters have been ordered to date.
In May 2022, an anonymous insider interviewed by state news agency TASS said the aircraft had allegedly been involved in the war for most of its duration. It has been employed to launch Kh-59 and Kh-69 cruise missiles, some of which were reportedly used to destroy the Trypilska thermal power plant in April 2024.