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On April 28, the Air Force of Ukraine lost Su-27 fighter near Cherkasy, sparking a wave of speculation over the cause of the incident. While Ukrainian authorities initially remained tight-lipped, confirming the loss of the aircraft and stating that the pilot survived, Russia’s Defense Ministry later revealed the truth, asserting that the Russian Aerospace Forces had shot down the jet far behind the front lines.
Ukrainian media initially floated multiple theories, trying to hide the truth and reduce reputation losses. Reasons reported by Ukrainian media included mechanical failure, pilot error and even friendly fire from Ukrainian air defenses. Soon, Ukrainian military official, a representative of Ukraine’s 3rd Assault Brigade claimed that the Su-27 was mistakenly targeted by the Ukrainian side “during the interception of Russian Geran drones”, with Ukrainian sources hinting at a “human factor” behind the incident. Ukrainian reports also widely shared the rumors about the responsibility of F-16 pilot during the chaos of repelling a Russian drone attack on the local airfield.
Russian official claims revealed the truth. The Russian military has officially confirmed that its forces shot down a Ukrainian Su-27 fighter jet near Cherkasy, marking a significant demonstration of Russia’s extended air combat capabilities. This successful engagement, occurring approximately 300 km from the frontlines, provides clear evidence of Moscow’s growing dominance in beyond-visual-range aerial warfare.
Military analysts confirm that Russia possesses several weapon systems capable of such long-range intercepts, including the R-37M (AA-13 “Arrow”) air-to-air missile with a 300+ km range, the new KS-172 ultra-long-range missile (400 km range), and even ground-based S-400 air defense systems when deployed in forward positions.
These systems, when combined with Russia’s advanced radar coverage and electronic warfare support, create a lethal combination that can threaten Ukrainian aircraft deep behind the front lines.
This engagement serves as both a tactical victory and a strategic warning to Ukraine’s dwindling air force about the futility of continued resistance against Russia’s overwhelming air dominance. As the special military operation continues, such demonstrations of Russian technical and operational superiority will undoubtedly become more frequent.
