Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov has shared a clip of a Russian jet dramatically crashing to the ground in flames after being hit by a U.S.-donated Stinger missile.
In the short video, which is now being widely shared on social media platforms, a missile can be seen striking the Russian aircraft on an unknown date over Kharkiv Region, causing the jet to spiral down into a nearby field and explode, with thick plumes of black smoke billowing from the wreckage.
Posting the video on Twitter, Reznikov wrote:
“Ten months ago, in Washington DC, I asked for Stingers for the Ukrainian Armed Forces and heard ‘It’s impossible’ many times.
“Today a Russian SU-30 jet was shot down by a Ukrainian Stinger in the Kharkiv region – so, the impossible is indeed possible.”
The Biden Administration has so far committed to providing over 1,400 Stinger anti-aircraft systems to Ukraine, with the Ukrainian Defense Ministry confirming that 259 Russian jets and 220 helicopters have so far been destroyed by Ukrainian forces since Putin launched his illegal invasion in February.
See the video here.
A statement from the United Kingdom’s Ministry of Defence on Sep. 20 speculated over the cause for an increase in Russian jets being shot down from the skies, stating: “There is a realistic possibility that this uptick in losses is partially a result of the Russian Air Force accepting greater risk as it attempts to provide close air support to Russian ground forces under pressure from Ukrainian advances.”
ISW Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, November, 12, 2024
“Russia’s continued lack of air superiority remains one of the most important factors underpinning the fragility of its operational design in Ukraine,” the Ministry added.
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