Credit: Fighterbomber (YouTube)
In what is the first video of its kind, headcam footage of a Russian pilot ejecting from his fighter jet before it crashes and explodes nearby has gone viral online.
Flying what has been identified as a Russian Su-25 Frogfoot, the pilot appears to pitch up aggressively before ejecting and watching his plane explode into a massive fireball nearby.
The world-first footage was first posted on a Russian military Telegram channel and was later shared on twitter by defence analyst Rob Lee.
Crazy helmet camera footage showing a Russian Su-25 pilot ejecting. From the Russian Fighter Bomber Telegram channel.https://t.co/kVwbt8cKZuhttps://t.co/z1PE0umu8u pic.twitter.com/mKVMTCRgFY
— Rob Lee (@RALee85) October 23, 2022
Lee identifies that the Bort number painted on the side of the plane is Red 09.
Another frame reveals that one of the plane’s engines is on fire, and the tail has been damaged.
As demonstrated in the clip, jets are flown quite low to the ground during the war in Ukraine, just above tree level.
Whilst this keeps them out of sight of hostile radar systems that typically seek out targets at higher altitudes, it does make them susceptible to shoulder-launched anti-aircraft missiles and machine gun fire from infantry and ground forces.
Whilst the exact cause of the incident is yet to be confirmed, some investigators are suggesting it is footage from a crash that occurred in Belgorod Oblast on the Russian border back in June, where a plane was downed after hitting a power pole. This has not been verified.
It was most likely that crash in Oblast Belgorod in June – at least it happened at the same place – compare the videos
1 = published today, mirroredhttps://t.co/c6diimbs9s“According to preliminary data, the aircraft hit a power line pole.“#SU25 #Russia #Belgorod #Geolocation pic.twitter.com/ofnedyBp2I
— MCantow (@MCantow) October 23, 2022
However, defence analyst Mike Yeo believes that “Based on camo demarcation and the lack of dorsal antenna, this downed aircraft was very likely Su-25SM RF-91965/ 09 Red from the 18th ShAP of the VKS (based at Chernigovka).”
The footage is believed to have been shot months ago, lining it up with the power pole crash, and only having been shared recently.
The Su-25s is the workhorse jet of the Russian military, and the aircraft that has suffered the greatest losses during the conflict, with twenty-six having been lost according to independent analyst Oryx.
Russia was expected early in the war to dominate Ukrainian airspace; however, Ukraine has shot down at least 55 Russian warplanes, whilst still maintaining 80% of its own air force.
