Remember when a Russian jet went missing over the Black Sea?

In September 2024, reports from pro-Russian social media channels were abuzz for a few days about the mysterious disappearance of a Russian jet that was lost somewhere over the Black Sea.

On September 11th, reports began to emerge online that a Russian Su-30SM fighter jet disappeared from radar while flying over the Black Sea. But what happened to the aircraft? 

According to sources cited by the Telegram channel Crimean Wind, the Russian fighter jet had been conducting operations against Ukraine when it suddenly vanished from the radar after firing its missiles. 

Newsweek reported on the incident and noted that the multirole fighter jet reportedly launched four Kh-31P anti-radiation missiles toward mainland Ukraine before disappearing. Two likely scenarios could explain what happened. 

Photo Credit: Wiki Commons By Panther, CC BY-SA 3.0

The Su-30SM's pilot could have made an error or encountered a mechanical problem that led to the plane crashing in the Black Sea. The other possible scenario was that the fighter jet was shot down, something that Ukrainian authorities later claimed was what happened. 

Crimean Wind noted that Russia launched a search and rescue operation involving an Mi-8 helicopter and a Ka-27 helicopter. Search and rescue crews reportedly found an oil slick 3 kilometers or 1.86 miles long in the designated search zone. 

Aircraft debris including a wing from what was believed to be from the missing Su-30SM was also discovered, which suggested the jet crashed in the Black Sea, but what caused its downing isn’t clear—though Ukraine has claimed credit. 

On September 12th, the Defense Intelligence of Ukraine, the country’s main directorate of intelligence, issued a statement on Telegram claiming that a special forces unit fired a man-portable air defense system at the Russian Su-30SM and destroyed it. 

Ukrainian intelligence claimed the Su-30SM crashed into the sea 70 kilometers or 44 miles northwest of Cape Tarkhankut, just off the coast of Western Crimea, and noted that the aircraft cost Russia roughly $50 million dollars according to Business Insider. 

Photo Credit: Wiki Commons By Alex Beltyukov, CC BY-SA 3.0

Video footage of the incident was posted alongside the report but it is unclear from the footage if the fighter jet in the video is the Su-30SM and if the plane show was destroyed. 

Photo Credit: Telegram @DIUkraine

Ukrainian intelligence reported the downed Su-30SM belonged to the 43rd Separate Naval Aviation Regiment, which Newsweek noted is based out of the Saky Airbase in occupied Crimea. 

Photo Credit: Telegram @DIUkraine

Earlier reports suggested the missing Su-30SM was based out of the Krymsk Airfield in Krasnodar Krai according to Militarnyi. Krasnodar Krai is a region within the internationally recognized borders of Russia. 

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Photo Credit: Telegram @DIUkraine