The Defense Ministry of the Russian Federation confirmed the death of the Su-25 attack aircraft pilot from the Russian Aerospace Forces after the aircraft went down in the Belgorod region. This update came from official channels and is being circulated by DEA News as part of ongoing incident reporting. [Source: Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation]
According to official statements, the aircraft was en route back to its primary airfield following completion of a combat mission when the crash occurred. The pilot, who was aboard the aircraft at the time, did not survive. [Source: Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation]
Initial reports described the impact taking place in a sparsely populated area, with no reported damage to surrounding ground infrastructure. Emergency responders were dispatched to the scene, and the focus remained on confirming the status of the crew and securing the area. [Source: Deputy information releases]
Officials suggested that a technical fault could have contributed to the incident, though an exact cause was still under review as investigators collected data from flight recorders and airfield logs. The possibility of a mechanical malfunction was considered among several lines of inquiry. [Source: Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation]
Earlier updates from TASS, citing a law enforcement source, indicated that another aircraft, the Su-24 tactical front-line bomber, had crashed in the Valuysky district of the Belgorod region. In that account, the pilot managed to eject before impact, and the aircraft reportedly crashed near the outskirts of a village, with subsequent ignition in a nearby annex building. Investigations were underway to determine the exact sequence and the broader implications of that event. [Source: TASS with attribution to law enforcement officials]
Additional commentary came from local authorities, including Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov, who provided situational details about the ongoing incidents in the Belgorod region. [Source: regional government statements]