Growing trend of Russian jet crashes, Su-30 fighter jet crashes near Finland border during training

Russian Su-30 fighter jet crashed in the Karelia region near the Russia-Finland border on November 13 (Thursday), reported the Russian Ministry of Defence. The crash reportedly killed two pilots on board. No civilian injuries were reported in the disaster. This recent incident marks at least the fifth such crash this year, whether due to a technical malfunction or friendly fire.

“Today, at around 7:00 p.m. Moscow time, a Su-30 fighter jet crashed in Karelia while performing a scheduled training flight. The aircraft crashed in an uninhabited area. The flight was performed without ammunition. The crew of the aircraft was killed,” read a statement by the Russian Ministry of Defence.

Artur Parfenchikov, head of the Karelian Republic, said in a statement that the deceased pilots were part of Russia's 159th Fighter Aviation Regiment.

Trend of Russian jet crashes

In mid-October, the Ukrainian Navy claimed that the Russian Defence system shot down one of its own Su-30SM jets while trying to repel a Ukrainian drone attack over Crimea. However, Russia did not disclose the reason for the loss of the jet.

Earlier in April 2025, a Sukhoi Su-34 crashed during a training flight near Russia's Nizhny Novgorod region. Russian media claimed that the aircraft faced a mechanical failure with part of its landing gear. In March 2025, a Su-25 attack aircraft crashed in the Primorsky Krai during a scheduled training flight. In February 2025, a Russian Su-24 fighter jet violated Polish airspace. Russia attributed it to its navigational failure.

A growing trend of non-combat aviation loss accidents is being noticed in the Russian Air Force. Experts point to a decline in safety standards, due to inexperienced pilots, a lack of training time and increasing demand for combat with Ukraine.