Su-57 stood in the open

Kiev meets Putin’s superfighter in the middle of Russia

The Su-57 "Felon" is Russia's most modern fighter aircraft, but so far only a handful exist and only a few are being produced.(Bild: EvgeniyQW)

The Russian air force keeps a very close eye on Putin's most powerful fighter aircraft, the Su-57 "Felon" stealth jet. As there are only a handful in existence, it has not yet been deployed over Ukraine, but only in Russian airspace. During a drone attack on a military airfield more than 600 kilometers from the front, one of the next-generation fighters was nevertheless shot down.

The drone attack on the military airfield in the small town of Akhtubinsk on the Volga, which is almost 700 kilometers from the front, was confirmed by sources in Russia and promptly claimed by the head of Ukrainian military intelligence, Kyrylo Budanov, as an action by his agents. It remains unclear whether the drones were launched from Ukrainian territory - or from behind enemy lines. In any case, Moscow seems to be taking the successful attack on the superfighter very seriously: Military bloggers are ranting against the air force command with hefty words.