A pair of Su-25 fighter jets
were first seen conducting airstrikes against Ukrainian positions in Balakleya,
a city in Izium district on the north-east side of the Siverskyi Donets river.
Shortly afterward, another
video showed the two Russian fighter jets flying very low. One of them was shot
down by a missile, reportedly a MANPAD [Man-Portable Air Defense System]
The video is said to have been
filmed in the Volkhov Yar area of Balakleya, and the two Su-25 jets can be seen
flying about 20 meters from the ground when one of them is hit by a projectile,
after which the aircraft can be seen falling.
Some Russian sources suggest
that the pilot ejected from the aircraft, while others have reported that
the pilot did not have time to eject because the aircraft was flying extremely
low.
There were also reports that
the pilot managed to land the combat aircraft safely without extending the
landing gear. That said, the pilot’s fate remains unknown when writing this
report.
