Ukraine Claims Drone Strike Destroys Rare Russian Su-57 Stealth Fighter

Ukrainian military officials announced on Sunday that they have destroyed one of Russia's most advanced and sophisticated fighter jets as a result of a drone strike on a military base deep within Russian territory.

According to the intelligence department of Ukraine's Ministry of Defense, the Su-57 fighter jet, which NATO has dubbed a “criminal,” was hit at an airbase in the Astrakhan region, nearly 600 kilometers (372 miles) from the front line of combat operations during the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

The agency published satellite images on its Telegram channel to support its claim, stating: “The photos show that on June 7, the Su-57 was still intact, but on June 8, fire damage was evident alongside explosion craters and distinct fire patterns.”

The Su-57 is a fifth-generation supersonic twin-engine stealth fighter that Moscow regarded as a response to Western stealth aircraft, such as the U.S. Air Force's F-22 Raptor.