A Russian Sukhoi Su-30 fighter jet crashed in occupied Crimea during a training flight on 3 April, Russia's Defense Ministry confirmed. Both crew members ejected and were recovered safely, making it the second Russian military aircraft to crash in occupied Crimea and the fourth overall in four days.
Crash details
The crash occurred around 11:00 local time, according to Russia's MoD, cited by Russian Interfax. The jet was reportedly conducting a scheduled training flight and carried no weapons. Both crew members ejected and were retrieved by a ground search-and-rescue team. The ministry stated there was no threat to their lives.
Russia's MoD gave no cause. Militarnyi noted that Russian milblogger Ilya Tumanov, who runs a dedicated military aviation Telegram channel Fighterbomber, attributed the crash to an engine fire. The claim has not been officially confirmed.
According to the Oryx Blog tracker, Russia lost at least 20 Su-30s since 2022. Ukraine targets them both in the air and on the ground. In August 2025, the SBU's Alpha unit destroyed one Su-30SM and damaged another at Saky airfield in occupied Crimea in a single drone strike. By mid-2025, the 43rd Naval Aviation Regiment based at Saky had lost more than half of the twelve Su-30SMs it began the war with.
Russia lost two military aircraft in one day — an An-26 military transport killing all 29 aboard and an unconfirmed Su-34 fighter-bomber
Fourth Russian military aircraft lost in three days
Today's Su-30 crash follows two losses on 31 March. An An-26 military transport crashed into a cliff in the Bakhchisarai mountains in occupied Crimea, killing all 29 on board, including a general. On the same day, Russian military blogger Fighterbomber reported the loss of an Su-34 fighter-bomber.
Overnight on 2 April, Ukrainian forces destroyed an An-72P maritime patrol aircraft at Kirovske military airfield in occupied Crimea, south of Isliam-Terek, according to the Unmanned Systems Forces. The strike was conducted by the 1st Separate Unmanned Systems Center and HUR’s 9th Department. A P-37 circular-surveillance radar was also destroyed.
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