Russian Sukhoi crashes off the coast of Crimea
A Russian Sukhoi Su-35 Flanker fighter jet crashed near the coast of Sevastopol in Crimea. Videos that have been released show a jet on fire, turning towards the ocean, and exploding.
Mikhail Razvozhayev, the Russian governor of this occupied region, announced on Thursday that the pilot successfully ejected from the aircraft and was rescued by emergency responders, but did not provide an explanation for the cause of the crash.
Maria Avdeeva, a Ukrainian security expert, claimed that the jet was shot down, while pro-Ukrainian Telegram channels speculate that the cause was friendly fire.
Ukrainian officials have not commented on these claims, which cannot be independently verified. This region has been repeatedly attacked by Ukraine throughout the two-year conflict.
