Russian supersonic Su-34 fighter-bomber shot down by F-16: reports

According to a military blogger with ties to the Russian Air Force, one of Moscow's fighter jets was shot down by Ukrainian forces. Another pro-Moscow Milblogger said that the Sukhoi Su-34 aircraft was shot down by a Western-supplied F-16.

None of the reports have been confirmed and Newsweek has asked the Russian and Ukrainian defense ministries for comment on the unconfirmed claims, which have sparked much speculation on social media.

The Telegram channel Fighterbomber posted a message on Saturday that appeared to be a tribute to a lost Su-34 fighter jet. Next to a picture of the supersonic medium-range fighter-bomber that was a mainstay of Russia's aviation efforts in the war it started, it read: “Earth is heaven, brothers.”

The pro-Moscow Telegram channel VDV for Honesty and Justice shared the post and added more details.

“Urgent!!! Our Su-34 was shot down. The crew was killed,” it said, adding that the plane “appears to have been shot down by an F-16 that was over enemy-controlled territory.”

It also said the plane was shot down in an aerial bombing “approximately 50 km (30 miles) from the front line,” without specifying where the information came from.

“Soon there will be more such losses. NATO has sent F-16s to hunt,” it continued, “as a result, our infantry losses will increase.”

Ukraine said it received its first tranche of US-made fourth-generation jets in August after President Joe Biden finally allowed their delivery via third countries.

Norway, Belgium, the Netherlands and Denmark are among a coalition of countries that have pledged more than 85 F-16 jets to Kiev, which it hopes will give Ukraine a better air force than the Soviet-era planes it is relying on she left herself.

Pro-Ukrainian social media users were quick to cite claims that both a Russian fighter jet had been shot down and that a U.S.-made plane delivered to Ukraine may have been involved.

“Russian broadcasters are already claiming it was an F-16 that shot down the Russian fighter jet,” NOEL reports.

“F-16 shoots down Russian SU-34. That's exactly what the F-16s in Ukraine are for. So far only Russian sources have confirmed this – we will wait and see,” wrote Jürgen Nauditt.

Journalist Euan MacDonald wrote: “Excellent news if true.” Alongside a picture of actor Tom Cruise in the film Top Gunwrote Jay in Kiev: “F-16s shot down $40,000,000 worth of Russian Su-34s over Ukraine on Saturday afternoon. Damn son.”

Ukraine's Defense Ministry said in May it had “destroyed” nine Russian fighter jets, while in February it said it had shot down 10 of Moscow's military aircraft in 10 days.