News reports have emerged on social media about another incident in Donetsk region, where a Russian attack aircraft, Su-25, was shot down as a result of combat operations
Preliminary information suggests that this case most likely resulted from "friendly fire" — when one Russian aircraft shoots down another — leading to an internal aviation incident between two Russian military planes. This situation is actively reported by Ukrainian and Russian sources on social media and open information channels. Specifically, the Russian Telegram channel Fighterbomber, well known for its analytical and operational updates on aviation events, reported the loss of a Russian Su-25 attack aircraft. According to their data, the aircraft was shot down and collided with another Russian military plane. Sources indicate that this incident occurred precisely in Donetsk region, where active fighting is ongoing. There are no official confirmations from the Russian Ministry of Defense regarding this event at this time; however, published data shows that the pilot of the downed Su-25 survived and was hospitalized. Information about the circumstances of the incident is largely based on open sources, including OSINT resources such as OSINTtechnical, which monitor aviation events through open sources and satellite imagery. According to OSINT analysts, the cause of the downing was an uncontrolled missile launched from another Russian Su-25 by a fellow pilot. It appears that this missile was fired by one of the wingmen, which led to an unintended trajectory and consequently an emergency situation. Sources report that the surviving pilot is in hospital, and his condition is currently assessed as stable. Sources in reports note that this incident is yet another sign of the complex and tense situation in Donetsk, where Ukrainian forces are conducting active defensive operations, while Russian troops suffer significant losses not only of equipment but also in personnel. Such incidents also highlight the high risks faced by Russian aviation units during combat operations and internal accidents among military aircraft. Overall, this serves as further confirmation that Russian forces are not only suffering physical losses on the battlefield but are also encountering logistical and personnel challenges that complicate their ability to consistently carry out combat missions. Meanwhile, Ukrainian social networks actively spread this news, using it to bolster their informational campaigns and emphasize the unknown scale of the occupying forces’ losses. In summary, there are no official comments from the Russian side regarding this incident yet, but all signs point to the event being caused by errors and internal conflicts among Russian military aviators, which again highlights the complexity and danger of the situation on the Donetsk front.