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2 clusters · 12 sources · 4 days · First seen · Last updated

Russian Su-30SM fighter jet crash in Kaliningrad

Overview

On October 21, 2026, a Russian Sukhoi Su-30SM multirole fighter jet crashed in the Chernyakhovsky district of the Kaliningrad region during a scheduled training flight. The Russian Ministry of Defense confirmed the aircraft was flying without ammunition and crashed in an uninhabited area between the villages of Timofeevka and Zeleny Bor.

Initial reports indicated that the two-person crew successfully ejected and were transported to a military hospital for injuries. However, subsequent reports identified the crew members as Colonel Oleg Erofeev and Major Vladimir Kochetov, two elite pilots from the Russian Knights aerobatic team. Both pilots, who held significant seniority and flight experience, were reported dead following the accident. While the Ministry of Defense confirmed the crash, the exact cause and specific timing of the incident remained subject to varying reports.

Entities

Sukhoi · Russian Ministry of Defense · Vladimir Kochetov · Baltic Fleet · Chernyakhovsky district

Timeline

  1. [INTERNATIONAL] 2 sources
    Two Russian Knights pilots killed in Su-30SM crash

    Two elite Russian Knights aerobatic pilots, Oleg Erofeev and Vladimir Kochetov, died when their Su-30SM fighter jet crashed during a training flight.

  2. [INTERNATIONAL] 10 sources
    Russian Su-30 fighter jet crashes in Kaliningrad

    A Russian Su-30SM fighter jet crashed during a training flight in the Kaliningrad region on October 21, 2026. Both pilots ejected and were hospitalized with injuries.

Sources

aerotime.aero · defence24.pl · fakt.pl · it-boltwise.de · newsmonkey.be · novini247.com · oruzjeonline.com · ostdeutsche-zeitung.de · qactus.fr · soha.vn · standartnews.com · zoom.mk