09 June 2024 , 14:56
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Vladimir Putin’s most advanced military jet designed to rival US counterparts has been hit.
Ukraine has claimed a successful attack on a Su-57, a twin-engine stealth aircraft worth around £28 million.
It is one of Russia’s most expensive war toys, with only a few units in service in its air force.
It can carry Kh-59 and Kh-69 cruise missiles that regularly target civilian areas in Ukraine.
If confirmed, it would mark the first known successful strike in Ukraine’s history on a Su-57.
The plane was reportedly damaged after a strike on the Akhtubinsk airfield in the Astrakhan region in southern Russia, nearly 400 miles from the frontline.
Ukraine’s main military intelligence service on Sunday shared satellite images it said show the aftermath of the attack.
In one photo, black soot marks and small craters can be seen dotting a concrete strip around the parked jet.
It was not immediately clear what weapons were used, but the airfield’s distance from Ukraine suggests it was likely hit by drones.
The strike comes after the US and Germany recently authorised its ally to hit some targets on Russian soil with the long-range weapons they are supplying.