Did a Russian Air Force SU-57 crash in Moscow? Here’s what we know so far

A Russian military aircraft crashed in the Moscow region on July 23, 2026, prompting online speculation via channels reportedly affiliated with the Russian military that the aircraft involved was a Su-57, Russia’s most modern, fifth-generation multi-role fighter. 

It is worth noting, however, that there is no official or independent confirmation that the aircraft involved in the incident was a Su-57. 

Russian news agency Ria Novosti has cited an official statement by the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation confirming that it had lost an aircraft, although it did not provide details about the type of aircraft involved. According to the same sources, the aircraft was conducting a training mission, and it was not armed. 

The pilot appears to have been able to eject safely before the aircraft crashed in an empty field near the Moscow suburb of Odintsovo and the Kubinka air base, to the west of the Russian capital, before erupting into flames. 

Those same official reports point to a technical malfunction as the source of the incident.  

However, the Russian capital has been on high alert over the last few days following repeated air raids by Ukrainian long-range drones, leading to speculation online that the aircraft may have been the victim of a friendly fire incident. 

If confirmed, the loss of a Su-57, which officially entered service in 2020, would be quite a setback for the Russian Air Force, since it has received a limited number of fighters of this type. 

As far as it is publicly known, the SU-57 has, so far, been mostly kept away from the front line in Ukraine.

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