The Ukrainian Navy intelligence has intercepted radio communications confirming the loss of russian Su-30SM fighter jet southeast of the Snake Island (aka Zmiinyi Island) in the Black Sea. The aircraft reportedly crashed under yet-to-be-determined circumstances while performing a combat mission.
According to the intercepted transmissions, russian forces suddenly lost contact with the aircraft during operations in the area. The cause of the incident remains unclear, with no official statement from Moscow as of the time of publication.
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The comms reveal that russian military units have launched a search-and-rescue mission to locate the missing crew. Maritime patrols and support vessels are reportedly active in the vicinity of the crash site.
Preliminary information suggests that fragments of the downed Su-30SM aircraft have been spotted floating on the sea surface. These debris fields are being examined as part of the recovery effort.
There has been no confirmation on the fate of the pilots. The russian rescuers have not yet reported any findings that indicate whether they ejected or survived the incident.
The Su-30SM aircraft is a modernized multirole fighter widely used by the russian Aerospace Forces, including in operations against Ukraine. Losses of such aircraft are costly both in material and in trained personnel.
As Defense Express previously reported, on the night of August 9-10, 2025, the Special Operations Forces' Resistance units successfully destroyed a stationary TRLK-10 Skala-M radar system in the village of Abrykosivka, located in temporarily occupied Crimea. The strike represents another precise blow to russia's air surveillance capabilities on the peninsula.
Read more: The TRLK-10 Skala-M Radar with Both Primary and Secondary Detection Capabilities Was Neutralized in Crimea
