Ukraine loses rare Su‑27 fighter in drone defense mission
Ukraine has confirmed the loss of a Su-27 aircraft. The plane was likely destroyed while defending Ukrainian targets against drones. The pilot, who managed to eject, survived the crash.
The Su-27 fighter jet is another loss for Ukrainian aviation in April 2025. The previous loss was an F-16 aircraft, shot down by a Russian Su-30 on April 12.
In the case of the Su-27 lost on April 28, the pilot survived, but the loss of the aircraft is particularly severe for Ukraine. This is because Su-27s are not operated by countries providing military aid to Ukraine, and before the outbreak of the war, they were the most valuable part of Ukrainian aviation.
While the loss of a MiG-29 or F-16 can be compensated by external supplies, the destruction of a Su-27 means the loss of an aircraft that currently has no replacement. This situation is even more critical because, on February 2, 2025, Ukraine lost another such aircraft, shot down by a MiG-31 with a long-range R-37M missile.
Before the Russian attack, Ukraine had about 30 operational Su-27s, but during wartime operations, these planes have suffered significant losses. At least 17 have been confirmed destroyed so far, and some of the remaining ones may not be fit to fly due to wear and a lack of spare parts. Therefore, the number of Su-27s remaining in service is likely small.
Tasks of Ukrainian Su-27s
For Ukraine, the Su-27—despite its age—remains a highly valuable aircraft. This is due to its characteristics: the aircraft was developed as an air superiority fighter, capable of reaching speeds of up to Mach 2.35 (about 1,550 mph) and carrying about six tons of armament.
Beyond post-Soviet and Russian weapons, Ukrainian Su-27s can—thanks to ad-hoc modernizations—carry some Western missiles, such as AGM-88 HARM anti-radar missiles or guided bombs, whose range depends, among other factors, on the speed of the carrier and the altitude from which they are dropped. In this respect, the Su-27 outperforms other Ukrainian aircraft.
Currently, the priority role of Ukrainian fighters is not in air battles (which are rare) or ground target attacks, but supporting air defense. Fighters are used, among other tasks, to destroy drones that are massively deployed by the Russians, allowing them to be shot down with affordable short-range air-to-air missiles or gunfire from onboard cannons. The Su-27 lost by the Ukrainians likely took part in such a mission.
