Russia Accidentally Downs Its Own Su-27 Jet Over Crimea

In a mishap attributed to heightened combat readiness, Russian forces mistakenly shot down a Su-27 fighter jet, marking another incident of friendly fire.

• Russian forces mistakenly downed one of their own Su-27 fighter jets over Crimea, with Ukraine's Navy confirming the aircraft was destroyed by Russian forces.
• The incident occurred amidst a state of heightened combat readiness, with an operator's eagerness for recognition contributing to the mistake.
• The pilot ejected safely and was rescued, while the crash site was significantly distant from the frontline, suggesting a technical malfunction was unlikely.
• This marks at least the second instance of a Russian jet being downed by friendly fire this year, following a similar incident involving a Su-35 in January.
• Russia's air force has faced significant losses recently, while Ukraine anticipates an aviation boost with the upcoming operation of F-16 fighter jets supplied by allies.

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