Ukraine's military intelligence (HUR) can confirm that two of the Russian Su-57 fighter jets were hit during a strike on the Akhtubinsk airfield in Astrakhan Oblast, but one of them suffered only light damage, the agency's spokesperson, Andrii Yusov, said on air on June 12.
"We can now say that one Su-57 suffered significant damage, and the other one suffered lighter damage and may be possible to restore," Yusov said.
The military intelligence agency reported on the attack on June 9, marking the first hit against this model of aircraft. The Su-57 is Russia's most modern fighter jet, with only a few units in service in the Russian Air Force.
Satellite imagery published after the attack seemed to have confirmed a successful strike against the Akhtubinsk airfield in southern Russia, lying around 590 kilometers (over 360 miles) from the front line.
Already on June 10, Yusov said that according to preliminary information, two Su-57s may have been hit.
Military intelligence does not usually claim public responsibility for attacks on Russian territory, but sources told the Kyiv Independent that Ukraine has carried out a number of long-range strikes against military and industrial targets deep inside the Russian borders.
Chris York
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