Key facts
- Ukraine's military intelligence agency said a Russian Su-57 fighter jet was damaged by an engine fire at Akhtubinsk airfield in Astrakhan Oblast on October 29.
- The agency suggested the fire may have resulted from deteriorating jet fuel quality linked to Ukrainian long-range drone strikes on Russian oil refineries.
- The Su-57 is Russia's most advanced and expensive fighter jet, with cost estimates ranging from $35 million to around $150 million for the export variant.
Ukraine's military intelligence agency (HUR) said a Russian Sukhoi Su-57 fifth-generation fighter jet was damaged by an engine fire at Akhtubinsk airfield in Russia's Astrakhan Oblast on October 29, according to a November 2 social media statement.
The agency suggested the fire may have resulted from deteriorating jet fuel quality linked to Ukrainian long-range drone strikes on Russian oil refineries. In August, the agency reported that Russia was becoming increasingly dependent on aviation fuel imports as Ukrainian strikes disrupted domestic jet fuel production.
The Su-57 is Russia's most advanced and expensive fighter jet. Estimates of its cost range from $35 million, according to a 2019 report by Russian outlet Kommersant, to around $150 million for the export variant, according to HUR. The Russian government describes the aircraft as an advanced, supermaneuverable fifth-generation fighter with stealth capabilities, designed to rival Western models such as the U.S.-made F-35 and F-22.
Despite its advanced capabilities, the Su-57 has seen limited use during Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Russia's small fleet of Su-57s has suffered several setbacks in 2026. In April, a Ukrainian drone strike hit two aircraft of the type, according to Robert Brovdi, commander of Ukraine's Unmanned Systems Forces. In July, another Su-57 reportedly crashed or was shot down in a friendly-fire incident during a training flight near Moscow.