Reports surfaced on Saturday that a Russian Su-34 fighter bomber was shot down about 50 kilometres (30 miles) from the front line over Ukraine. Pro-Kremlin military bloggers claim that a Ukrainian F-16 engaged the aircraft as it was dropping Korrektiruyemaya Aviatsionnaya Bomba (KAB) glide bombs.
The incident was quickly picked up by Ukrainian military sources, with social media channels like PS01 and @front_ukrainian suggesting that the Russian crew did not survive. The Su-34, a twin-engine fighter-bomber, has been in service since the 1980s and is capable of performing various combat roles in all weather conditions.
Ukraine’s F-16s, which arrived in August, have been upgraded with NATO-standard avionics and are equipped to fire a wide range of Western missiles, including the AIM-120 AMRAAM and AIM-9 Sidewinder. While the F-16s have been used to defend against missile and drone attacks, this could be the first instance of them successfully taking down a Russian manned aircraft if confirmed.
So far, neither the Russian nor Ukrainian Ministries of Defense have issued statements, but the growing number of claims suggests that the Su-34 was indeed lost. If the Ukrainian F-16’s involvement is verified, it would mark the first aerial victory for the US-made fighter jet over Russian forces.
In recent months, some pro-Moscow bloggers have become increasingly critical of Russian military leaders. The Telegram channel “VDV for Honesty and Justice” commented on the incident, saying, “Soon there will be more such losses. NATO has sent F-16s out to hunt.” Another blogger added, “The excuses are starting… [from those] close to the Chief Grandfather... who say the Su-34 crashed on its own and the enemy had nothing to do with it… of course, it’s better for them to lie than to think about how to solve the problem of NATO-Ukrainian F-16s hunting our aircraft.”
If confirmed, this incident would mark a significant development in the conflict, as Ukrainian F-16s continue to bolster the country’s defense capabilities.
