As Ukrainian troops reach the Russian border in Kharkiv Oblast, forcing the Russian military to withdraw its troops from the region, the situation in Crimea is also proving troubling for the Kremlin.
Following a series of explosions at Russian military sites on the peninsula and the sinking of the Moskva flagship in the Black Sea, Russia just lost one of its jet planes in Crimea to a dramatic crash.
In a video shared by “The Third Force” Telegram account on Monday, two Russian Su-25 aircraft are seen taking off in Crimea. As the two planes turn, one appears to lose control and dip towards the ground. The camera briefly pans to the ground, but as the planes return to view, one can be seen hitting the ground and causing a large explosion.
The Ukrainian Telegram page mockingly described the video as a demonstration of Su-25 “aerobics” and included an anti-Russian slur.
The video was also shared on Twitter by military analyst Rob Lee, who noted that the details surrounding the crash were not immediately clear, but that it is a “different incident than the video of the previous crash site” – referring to another video showing a Russian aircraft crashing on the peninsula.
Video of a Russian Su-25 attack aircraft crashing right after take off reportedly in Crimea. The details aren’t fully clear, but I think this is a different incident than the video of the previous crash site. https://t.co/FnJKmVbKJh pic.twitter.com/l41VwQGhVR
— Rob Lee (@RALee85) September 12, 2022
There are many possible explanations for why the aircraft failed, including the possibility that the craft was not properly maintained or inspected before it took off. It’s also possible that the pilot banked too hard, lost airspeed, and stalled the plane. The latter explanation is likely the case, given that the plane stops emitting smoke while turning, indicating that the plane’s engine was not running.
Telegram Posts Indicate Crash Occurred On Sunday
Russian Telegram account “Fighterbomber” referenced the video in a post also shared on Monday, appearing to suggest that the crash occurred the day before. The post contained a photograph of the pilot’s car keys, which the author of the post said were purposely left behind in case of an accident.
“I once wrote that pilots leaving for a sortie, or even just flying, leave the car keys in their desk or nightstand. Well, so that if it happens, the car was not abandoned,” the post reads, per Google Translate.
The post then linked to a YouTube video of the pilot, Dani, flying his Su-25 jet and conducting strikes – presumably as part of the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Jack Buckby is a British author, counter-extremism researcher, and journalist based in New York. Reporting on the U.K., Europe, and the U.S., he works to analyze and understand left-wing and right-wing radicalization, and reports on Western governments’ approaches to the pressing issues of today. His books and research papers explore these themes and propose pragmatic solutions to our increasingly polarized society.
