600 Billion-Won Latest Fighter Jet Shattered Again... Russian Military's Ongoing Humiliation

Russian Forces Retreat from Ukraine's Lyman
Latest Fighter Jet Su-34 'Shattered'

Recently, fragments of a Russian Su-34 fighter jet were found in the Lyman area of Donetsk in eastern Ukraine. The photo shows the Su-34, the latest model of Russian military fighter jets.
[Image source=EPA Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hwang Sumi] Recently, hundreds of billions of won worth of Russian fighter jets were found destroyed in the Lyman area of eastern Donetsk, Ukraine.

On the 2nd (local time), the Ukrainian Air Force Command announced that fragments of a Russian Sukhoi (Su)-34 fighter jet were found in Lyman, an eastern strategic point. This fighter jet is the latest model of the Russian military, with a unit price ranging from 47 billion to 64.3 billion won depending on armament options. It can carry up to 8 tons of weapons, including surface-to-air missiles and laser-guided bombs, and is capable of long-duration and long-distance flight operations. As of March, the Russian military is known to possess about 120 Su-34 fighter jets.

In Ukraine, this fighter jet has been shot down several times before. In March, an elderly Ukrainian man destroyed a fighter jet with a rifle he possessed. In response, the Ukrainian Border Guard recently honored this man with a medal for his contribution to border protection.

Also, in July, a Su-34 fighter jet was found in the village of Alchevsk, Luhansk Province, destroyed to the point where its shape was barely recognizable. It turned out that the Russian military mistakenly shot down this fighter jet, which was flying nearby, mistaking it for a Ukrainian military aircraft. Ukrainian authorities estimate that at least 16 Su-34 bombers have been shot down in this war.

A Ukrainian soldier is holding a watermelon and giving a thumbs-up next to a multiple rocket launcher firing at the front line in eastern Donetsk.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

The fighter jet fragments found this time in Lyman appear to be traces left behind during the Russian military's retreat. Earlier, the Ukrainian military announced on the 1st that they had recaptured Lyman from the Russian forces. This was just one day after Russian President Vladimir Putin declared the annexation of four Ukrainian regions, including Donetsk.

The Ukrainian Air Force Command said it is not exactly known when and where the fighter jet was shot down but explained that it has been added to the tally of Russian military losses. Local media speculate that the fighter jet belonged to the 2nd Composite Aviation Regiment of the 21st Aviation Division.