On April 29, 2025, the Russian Defense Ministry announced that fighter aircraft of the Russian Aerospace Forces (VKS) shot down a Su-27 aircraft of the Ukrainian Air Force. The ministry reported this on its Telegram channel, emphasizing that the operation was carried out as part of the ongoing special military operation (SMO). Details of the incident, including the location and circumstances, have not yet been disclosed. This is not the first time that Russian forces have destroyed a Ukrainian Su-27, which underlines the intensity of air operations in the conflict zone.

The Su-27 (NATO reporting name Flanker) is a Soviet fourth-generation supersonic fighter jet developed by the Sukhoi Design Bureau to achieve air superiority. According to Wikipedia, it is capable of carrying tactical nuclear weapons and performing missile and bomb strikes against ground targets. The Ukrainian Armed Forces use these aircraft to intercept drones, escort bombers, and counter the Russian Aerospace Forces.

According to the Russian Defense Ministry, since the beginning of the Second Military Operation, Russian forces have destroyed 653 Ukrainian aircraft, including numerous Su-27s. For example, on February 2, 2025, the VKS shot down an Su-27, and in January 2024, a similar incident occurred in the Dnipropetrovsk region. These losses complicate Ukraine's capabilities in the air, especially against the backdrop of a reduction in Western aid after the US freeze on supplies in March 2025.