Intriguing videos began to appear on social media on October 5 showing a fighter jet firing an air-to-air missile at another aircraft flying directly in front of it.

Later footage shows a damaged flying wing-shaped aircraft in the crash, as well as wreckage bearing the Russian red star.

According to some Russian Telegram channels, the scene shows a Sukhoi Su-57 stealth fighter jet shooting down a ‘loyal wingman’ S-70 Okhotnik-B after losing control of the Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicle (UCAV).

The S-70, also developed by Sukhoi, is a large stealth drone that has been tested by the Russian Air Force for several years.

Wreckage of the S-70 (Social media)
Wreckage of the S-70 (Social media)

The wreckage of the aircraft fell over an area of ​​Konstantinovka, Ukraine, but it is unclear why Russia would fly the two advanced aircraft near the border.

The S-70 prototype made its maiden flight in August 2019 and is said to have stealth features such as a low-observable design and anti-radar materials shared with the Su-57.

The S-70 Okhotnik-B (Social media)
The S-70 Okhotnik-B (Social media)

The unmanned aircraft is quite large, with a wingspan of 20 meters, and the Russians intended it to be a loyal wingman for the Su-57, with the S-70 taking on the most dangerous missions.

The fall of the wreckage in Ukraine would certainly make it easier for the United States and other Western allies to access Russian technology.