“By mistake”: a Russian military plane near the Crimean Peninsula…

According to the local governor, a Russian fighter plane crashed into the sea near Sevastopol. The pilot was able to save himself with a parachute.

The local governor said that a Russian military plane crashed into the sea off the coastal city of Sevastopol in the Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea, which was annexed by Russia. Russian-appointed governor Mikhail Razushayev said Thursday that the pilot rescued himself by parachute. He landed in the water about 200 meters from the coast and was recovered unharmed by a lifeboat shortly afterwards.

Russian Telegram channels had previously reported that a Russian Su-35 fighter jet (according to current information it could also be a Su-27) crashed near Sevastopol. The reason for this was not clear at first.

Ukraine: “Russian air defenses shot down mistakenly”

Meanwhile, Ukrainian media speculated that the plane may have been shot down by Russian anti-aircraft defenses by mistake. The Uniyan agency published a picture of a plane crashing and burning. The authenticity of the recording could not be independently verified.

Russia annexed Crimea, where its Black Sea fleet was always based, in 2014. Ukraine wants to regain control of the peninsula. Its forces have repeatedly attacked Russian targets in Crimea and the Russian fleet stationed there. (Abba)