Russia may have lost a Sukhou Su-57 “Felon” 5th generation fighter for the first time on Saturday at Akhtubinsk airfield.
Ukrainian intelligence claimed to have hit a stealth fighter with three drones at the Akhtubinsk airfield, almost 450 km from the border.
Images comparing a Su-57 parked at the air base between June 7 and 8 show some small craters and burns on the pavement, but it is not possible to confirm the extent of the damage to the aircraft.
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The Russian channel FigherBomber, on Telegram, acknowledged the veracity of the attack, but stated that it was still being assessed whether the shrapnel was serious enough to consider the jet unrecoverable.
If confirmed, it would be the first loss of the Russian 5th generation combat aircraft since it entered service a few years ago.
The Su-57 is the most advanced Russian fighter and would have the ability to not be detected by radars, something that only the F-22, F-35 and J-20 fighters also have among similar aircraft.
The Russian Air Force has only about two dozen “Felon” fighters, as it is called by NATO.
After assembling some pre-production jets, UAC began manufacturing an order for almost 80 aircraft, but the pace of deliveries appears low.
The state-owned company does not reveal how many units it has already completed at the Komsomolsk-on-Amur facility, in the east of the country.
