On April 28, 2025, an incident occurred in the Cherkasy region of Ukraine, as a result of which the crew of a Ukrainian F-16 fighter mistakenly shot down their own Su-27 aircraft, mistaking it for a Russian Geran-2 attack drone. According to preliminary data, the Su-27 pilot managed to eject and was quickly evacuated by a search and rescue team. As reported by the press service of the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the pilot is in stable condition and is receiving medical care.

The incident occurred on the morning of April 28, when the Su-27 was performing a combat mission to provide air support to troops and repel an attack by Russian drones. According to Newsweek, the plane was lost near the Cherkasy airfield, and the pilot ejected after the fighter received critical damage.

The Su-27, known to NATO as the Flanker, is a Soviet-era multirole fighter jet used by Ukraine since the start of the war. The F-16s, recently delivered by Western allies, are equipped with sophisticated radars and AIM-120 AMRAAM missiles, making them a key element of Ukraine’s air defenses. However, as the EurAsian Times notes, the lack of experience of the Ukrainian pilots, who have undergone accelerated training, and the difficult combat conditions increase the risk of such incidents.

This is not the first case of "friendly fire" in the conflict. According to Verkhovna Rada member Maryana Bezuglya, about half of the losses of Ukrainian aviation were caused by its own air defense systems. In January 2023, a MiG-29 was shot down by a Ukrainian 9K33 Osa SAM system, and in 2022, two Su-27s were lost due to air defense errors.