Ukraine loses Su-27 fighter jet repelling Russian drone attack, Air Force says

Ukraine has lost a Su-27 fighter jet while it was repelling a Russian drone attack and providing air support to ground troops on the morning of April 28, Ukraine's Air Force reported.

The pilot ejected and is receiving medical attention, according to the statement. The cause of the incident is under investigation.

The Su-27, also known under the NATO code name "Flanker," is a highly maneuverable Soviet-era air superiority fighter used by both Ukraine and Russia.

Throughout the war, Ukraine has rarely reported losses of its fighter jets and other military equipment targeted by Russia. Meanwhile, Moscow periodically claims to have carried out strikes on Ukrainian airfields, which cannot be independently verified.

In mid-April, Pavlo Ivanov, a 26-year-old Ukrainian F-16 pilot, was killed during a combat mission. Ivanov's death marks the second F-16 pilot loss for Ukraine since receiving these jets, following Oleksii Mes’s death last August.

Russia has lost over 370 planes since the beginning of the full-scale invasion on Feb. 24, 2022, the General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces reported on April 28. The Kyiv Independent could not independently verify these figures.