Ukraine claims advanced Russian Su-57 fighter jet exploded at airfield
The alleged incident at the Akhtubinsk airfield marks a potential setback for Moscow's most sophisticated stealth aircraft.
A Russian Su-57 fighter jet exploded at an airfield in southwestern Russia, according to claims made by Ukrainian military intelligence. The GUR agency reported that the incident occurred on October 29 at the Akhtubinsk airfield in the Astrakhan region while the aircraft's engines were starting up.
If confirmed, the event would represent the latest setback for Moscow's premier stealth aircraft. Russia has frequently touted the Su-57 as its most advanced and hardest-to-detect jet, categorizing it as a fifth-generation aircraft designed to rival American F-35 and F-22 jets, although numerous Western aviation experts remain skeptical about its actual stealth capabilities.
According to the International Institute for Strategic Studies, a British defense think tank, Russia had roughly 21 operational Su-57s by the beginning of 2026. Moscow's production timeline for these jets has been notably slow, hampered heavily by the ongoing demands of the military campaign in Ukraine. Ukrainian estimates place the financial cost of a single Su-57 at approximately $150 million.
While the GUR did not directly link the incident to fuel quality, the agency noted that engines fitted into the Su-57 can experience catastrophic destruction or explosions when supplied with low-grade jet fuel. Ukrainian officials state that Russia has increasingly relied on imported aviation fuel because of an ongoing campaign of Ukrainian drone strikes targeting Russian oil refineries.
The twin-engine supersonic aircraft, known by its NATO reporting name Felon, has been utilized by Moscow to conduct long-range strikes during the conflict that began in February 2022. However, analysts point out that its performance has been deemed lackluster, and Russian leadership has maintained a very low appetite for risking its limited fleet of coveted jets close to contested areas.
Ukrainian media reports have also indicated that Russia has used Su-57s to deploy air-to-air missiles against Ukrainian drones targeting infrastructure, effectively employing its most cutting-edge aircraft to intercept uncrewed vehicles costing a fraction of the fighter's price. Previously, Ukrainian authorities claimed that two Su-57s sustained damage from Ukrainian drones in May.
Meanwhile, Russian media reported a separate incident in July involving an Su-57 crash near Moscow during a routine training flight. The Russian Defense Ministry confirmed that a training aircraft went down while taking off near the capital and that the pilot safely ejected, though the ministry did not specify the exact model of the plane. Additionally, Russian officials announced in September that the air force had received several upgraded two-seater Su-57s featuring a new technical design.