A Russian multi-role Su-57 fighter jet burned down on October 29 at the Akhtubinsk military airfield in the Astrakhan region, the Ukrainian OSINT channel “Absolutely Reliable Source“ reported. According to the publication, the fire started in an emergency situation during engine start-up, and the plane burned down completely.
“On October 29, 2026, at the Akhtubinsk airfield, a Russian fifth-generation multi-role Su-57 fighter jet caught fire and burned down completely as a result of an emergency situation during engine start-up“, the channel said in a statement quoted by The Insider. There is no indication that Russian authorities have confirmed the incident.
The channel has published satellite images showing a dark burn patch and debris in the area of the airport's stands. Kyiv Post confirms that the image shows Akhtubinsk airport, but notes that it cannot independently determine when the photo was taken or whether the subject is a Su-57.
Fourth Su-57 incident in 2026
If confirmed, this would be the fourth case of a damaged or lost Su-57 in Russia since the beginning of the year. The Insider points out that in April, two aircraft of this type were hit at Shagol airport in the Chelyabinsk region, according to Ukrainian claims. On July 23, another Su-57 crashed during a training flight in the Moscow region. The loss was confirmed by the Russian Ministry of Defense.
Akhtubinsk is the base of the 929th State Test Center for Russian military aircraft and is one of the main testing sites for new aviation equipment. The Su-57 is a Russian fifth-generation multi-role fighter that Moscow presents as its most advanced combat aircraft.
The airport has previously been linked to the failure of a Su-57. In June 2024, Ukrainian military intelligence reported that a plane of this type had been hit in an attack. At that time, satellite images showed traces of an explosion and burning near the machine.
It remains unconfirmed whether the Su-57 was actually destroyed on October 29, as well as what caused the fire. The published images support the data of an incident at the airport, but do not provide sufficient grounds to independently establish the model of the aircraft and the circumstances surrounding the burning.
Sources: theins.ru, kyivpost.com, euromaidanpress.com