Down In Flames

Russian Su-34 Fullback Goes Down In Flames Over Donetsk

Story by Howard Altman

Russia lost an Su-34 Fullback strike fighter Friday. That's something both sides agree on.

How it happened, however, is like so many things, in dispute as images emerged on social media of the aircraft crashing to the ground apparently after being hit by air defense munitions.

Ukraine claims it shot down the Fullback.

"On March 3, 2023, in the Yenakiyevo region, around 1:30 p.m., anti-aircraft gunners of the Nikopol anti-aircraft missile regiment of the "East" air command destroyed a Russian Su-34 fighter-bomber," the Ukrainian Air Force said on its Telegram channel.

"One of the pilots died, the second is preparing to keep him company. It's been a long time since the anti-aircraft fighters of the Air Force were pleased with such a shot down target!"

Ukrainian Air Force spokesman Col. Yuri Ignat told The War Zone Friday that the jet was taken down by a Ukrainian S-300 air defense system.

The Ukraine Weapons Tracker OSINT group, however, said "preliminary information" indicated the jet was shot down by Russian friendly fire.