Russian Su-57 jet destroys its own S-70 stealth drone over Ukraine
A Russian S-70 Ochotnik-B stealth drone prototype lost communication with its controlling Su-57 fighter jet and became uncontrolled during a combat operation over Ukraine on 5 October 2024. The Su-57 pilot destroyed the drone with an air-to-air missile to prevent its capture, though wreckage fell in Ukrainian-held territory.
What happened
On 5 October 2024, a prototype S-70 Ochotnik-B stealth drone crashed near Chasiv Yar and Kostyantynivka in Donetsk region. The drone was operating in formation with a Russian Su-57 fighter jet when communication between the two aircraft was lost, causing the unmanned aircraft to lose control.
The Russian Su-57 jet shot down its own drone using an R-47-M Wympel air-to-air missile fired from an internal weapons bay. Wreckage fell on Ukrainian-held territory, with some pieces bearing Russian Air Force markings.
Reported impact
A prototype of Russia's newly developed stealth drone system was destroyed. The drone had reportedly dropped munitions on Ukrainian positions before losing control.
The loss occurred during operational deployment of the S-70 as a loyal wingman system integrated with the Su-57 fighter jet.
Index analysis
The incident involved loss of communication between the fighter jet and drone. Multiple sources attribute this to either electronic warfare measures by Ukraine or onboard electronics failure, though the exact cause remains unclear.
The S-70 ceased responding to commands from its controlling Su-57 jet after the communication link was severed. The Russian pilot then destroyed the uncontrolled drone to prevent it from falling into Ukrainian hands.
Governance controls
Neither Russian nor Ukrainian military authorities have officially commented on the incident. The wreckage and video evidence were widely circulated on social media and Telegram channels before official statements.
Classification
Sources and evidence
This record was researched and written by the Index, based on the following original reporting.