Ukraine losses Su-27 fighter jet, pilot managed to escape

Ukraine lost a Su-27 fighter jet while repelling an attack by Russian drones on the morning of 28 April, the Ukrainian Air Force reported.

The pilot of the aircraft was able to eject, according to the report. A search and rescue team found him at the landing site and took him to hospital. His condition is now stable and his life is not in danger.

A specially created commission is investigating the causes of the loss of the aircraft.

The Su-27, along with the MiG-29, is the main fighter aircraft of the Ukrainian Air Force, which shoots down Russian missiles and drones. Two brigades are in service with this aircraft: The 831st Tactical Aviation Brigade based in Myrhorod, Poltava Oblast, and the 39th Tactical Aviation Brigade based in Ozerne, Zhytomyr Oblast.

In April, 26-year-old Ukrainian pilot Pavlo Ivanov was killed while flying an F-16 mission.

This marked the second fatality involving F-16 fighters since Ukraine recently added them to its arsenal amid the ongoing Russian aggression. In August 2024, an F-16 crashed while repelling a Russian air attack, killing 30-year-old pilot Oleksii Mes, callsign Moonfish.

F-16 pilots perform combat missions almost daily across various fronts under incredibly challenging conditions, providing fighter cover for aviation strike groups and attacking enemy targets.

“Ukrainian pilots work at the maximum of human and technical capabilities, risking their lives each time they perform combat missions,” Ukrainian military said.

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