Ukrainian forces strike Sukhoi Su-57 fighter jet inside Russian territory

Ukrainian forces have successfully targeted a cutting-edge Russian Sukhoi Su-57 fighter jet at an airbase within Russian territory, media reports said quoting Ukraine's GUR defence intelligence agency.

GUR said, “The pictures show that on June 7, the Su-57 was standing intact, and on [June 8th], there were craters from the explosion and characteristic spots of fire caused by fire damage near it."

The agency also posted image in the wake of the attack.

Reports said that the agency shared satellite images purportedly confirming the strike, a move that could raise the tensions between Russia and Ukraine at a time when Kyiv is urging countries to join a peace summit in Switzerland on June 15-16.

The GUR refrained from detailing how the Su-57 was hit or which specific Ukrainian military unit carried out the attack. The confirmation of the attack by the agency was made in a Telegram post on Sunday (June 9).

The development is significant because this is the first such instance after countries like US and France recently suggested that the Ukrainian Army is allowed to use the arms provided to them in order to target military targets inside Russian territory.

Satellite Pictures

An image captured from a satellite provided a view of the aftermath of targeted strikes on an airfield. The photo revealed black soot marks and small craters around the aircraft.

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A prominent Russian pro-war military blogger, who identifies as Fighterbomber, confirmed the attack. According to the blogger, the Su-57 was hit by a drone. The Russian blogger Fighterbomber mentioned that the jet fighter had been struck by shrapnel and that the extent of the damage was under evaluation to determine if the aircraft could be repaired.

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The GUR specified that the aircraft was stationed at the Akhtubinsk airfield.

Akhtubinsk airfield is located in Akhtubinsk, a town in the Astrakhan Oblast of Russia. The airfield is situated nearly 110 kilometres northwest of Astrakhan, near the Volga River.

It is known for being part of the larger Akhtubinsk aviation test centre, which is one of the major military and aerospace testing facilities in Russia.The airfield is located 589km (366 miles) from the Ukrainian front lines, as per reports.

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The Ukrainian intelligence agency highlighted that the Su-57 is capable of carrying stealth missiles over extensive distances. It added that it is among “a countable few” in Moscow’s inventory.

Disclaimer: A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on the Ukraine-Russia conflict on the ground and online. While WION takes utmost care to accurately report this developing news story, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos.

(With inputs from agencies)