A Russian Su-30 fighter jet crashed in Crimea during a scheduled training flight due to an engine explosion, with both crew members ejecting safely and later being recovered.
The incident adds to the documented attrition of Russia’s Su-30 fleet, which open-source analysts estimate has lost at least 18 aircraft since the start of the war.
A Russian Su-30 fighter jet crashed in Crimea at around 11:00 a.m. Moscow time during a scheduled training flight, with both crew members ejecting safely and later being recovered by a ground search-and-rescue team, the Russian Defense Ministry reported.
The ministry said the aircraft was flying without ammunition.
“Today, at about 11:00 Moscow time, in the Republic of Crimea, a Su-30 aircraft crashed while performing a scheduled training flight,” the ministry said in a statement carried by Russian media. “The aircraft was flying without ammunition. The crew ejected and was evacuated by a ground search-and-rescue team. There is no threat to the pilots’ lives.”
No additional details were immediately released on the cause of the crash, the exact location of the wreckage, or the condition of the aircraft after impact. The Russian Defense Ministry also did not provide information on whether an official investigation has been launched.
The Su-30 remains one of Russia’s principal multirole fighter aircraft and has been widely used by the Russian Aerospace Forces throughout the war against Ukraine. Variants such as the Su-30SM have been employed in strike missions, air patrols, and escort operations.
The crash is notable because it occurred in occupied Crimea, a key hub for Russian military aviation and logistics operations since the start of the full-scale invasion.
Although the ministry described the sortie as a training flight, the incident adds to the visible losses sustained by Russia’s Su-30 fleet since the war began.
According to open-source analysis compiled by Oryx, Russia has lost at least 18 Su-30SM aircraft since the start of the full-scale invasion through combat action, accidents, and suspected sabotage incidents. The same database estimates Russia’s overall losses at more than 360 aircraft and helicopters.
Because those figures are based only on visually confirmed losses, the actual number may be higher.
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