Was it our own anti-aircraft defense?
Russian fighter jet shot down over Crimea
March 28, 2024, 9:35 p.m
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A burning Russian fighter jet crashes into the sea off the coast of Crimea. According to the crew authorities, the pilot was able to save himself by parachute. Ukrainian media speculated whether Russian anti-aircraft defenses knocked the plane out of the sky.
A Russian military jet crashed near Sevastopol on the Crimean peninsula, which was annexed by Moscow in violation of international law. The pilot saved himself with the parachute, Crimean Governor Mikhail Razvoshayev, appointed by Moscow, said on Telegram. “His life is not in danger.” The pilot landed in the water about 200 meters from the coast and was picked up unharmed by a lifeboat shortly afterwards.
Razvoshayev did not provide any information about the cause of the crash. Video footage shared on social media shows a plane in flames falling from the sky. In other photos, the pilot can apparently be seen gliding to earth on a parachute.
Russian Telegram channels reported that the crashed plane was a Sukhoi Su-35 fighter jet. Later there was talk of a Su-27. The Su-35 is a further development of the Su-27, series production of which began in 1982. The two hunter models are visually similar. Ukrainian media speculated that the plane may have been mistakenly shot down by Russian anti-aircraft defenses. According to the Telegram channel Crimean Wind, which is part of the US-funded broadcaster Radio Liberty, the plane took off from the Russian military base Belbek.
Sevastopol is the headquarters of the Russian Black Sea Fleet and is located on the southern tip of the Ukrainian Crimean Peninsula, which was occupied by Moscow in 2014. The region has been frequently attacked by the Ukrainian army since Russia’s major offensive began two years ago. Kiev says it has already sunk or disabled a third of all ships in the Black Sea Fleet.