- A Ukrainian Su-27 fighter was lost during a combat mission in eastern Ukraine on December 8, killing Lt. Col. Yevhenii Ivanov.
- The Ukrainian Air Force said the cause is under investigation, while Russian sources claim the jet was shot down in Kharkiv region.
A Ukrainian Su-27 fighter jet was lost during a combat mission on December 8 in the eastern region of the country, the Ukrainian Air Force confirmed in a public statement.
“At noon on December 8, 2025, in the eastern direction, during the execution of a combat mission in a Su-27 aircraft, the senior navigator of the 39th Tactical Aviation Brigade, Lieutenant Colonel Yevhenii Vitaliiovych Ivanov, was killed. The circumstances are being clarified. We express our sincere condolences to the pilot’s family and loved ones,” the statement read.
Ukrainian officials did not release further details about the circumstances of the incident. However, Russian sources have claimed that the aircraft was shot down in the Kharkiv region. While the Ukrainian side has not officially confirmed that the jet was struck by enemy fire, military-affiliated commentators indirectly suggested a missile engagement.
One message circulating among Ukrainian defense community members read, “Unfortunately, he did not evade,” implying the aircraft was targeted and hit by an air defense system or missile.
The Su-27, developed during the Soviet era, remains one of the mainstays of Ukraine’s air defense and air superiority operations, especially in contested airspace over eastern Ukraine where Russian aerial threats remain high.
As the war continues into its fourth year, Ukrainian tactical aviation units frequently carry out sorties in support of ground operations and air defense suppression. The eastern axis remains one of the most heavily contested zones, with constant drone, missile, and aircraft activity from both sides.