Ukraine May Have Manipulated Russian Air Defenses Into Downing Their Own Su-57 Near Moscow

A Ukrainian cyber attack may have manipulated Russian air defense into downing its own aircraft, leading to the crash of a Russian Su-57 fighter jet in the Moscow region on July 23, according to InformNapalm.

The downed aircraft was a Su-57, Russia's 5th generation fighter jet that Russian leader Vladimir Putin called the "best in the world" in June.

While Russian Telegram channels reported that friendly fire caused the crash, the Russian Ministry of Defense officially claimed a "technical failure" was responsible.

According to InformNapalm, the loss of the Su-57 resulted from a combined HUMINT and CYBINT operation conducted by Ukrainian special services. The group stated that coordinated cognitive and cyber actions affected the operations of the Bars-Moscow air defense crew, turning the system against Russia's own aircraft.

InformNapalm had previously reported on July 17 that it intercepted and analyzed data, including training broadcasts of Bars-Moscow crews preparing to counter long-range Ukrainian drones. This analysis allowed Ukrainian forces to exploit system vulnerabilities and turn the defense network against the Russian target.

Official claims of a "technical failure" regarding Su-57 aircraft are familiar, pointing to its 2025 OKBMLeaks cyber operation that leaked classified documents from a Russian component manufacturer for the jet.

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War in Ukraine

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Ukrainian intelligence reports that Russia's Aerospace Forces possess only a few of these multirole fighters, which can launch Kh-59 and Kh-69 missiles. Ukrainian forces first struck a Su-57 at Akhtubinsk airfield in Astrakhan region in June 2024 during Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

In May 2026, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that Ukrainian drones damaged two more Su-57 jets at Shagol airfield in the Chelyabinsk region.

In July 2026, a Ukrainian F-16 scored its first air-to-air victory by shooting down a Russian fighter jet, as confirmed by Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine during a Senate hearing. Ukrainian defense outlet Militarnyi assessed that the downed aircraft was likely a Russian Su-35 lost earlier that month, on July 8.

While Russian pro-war Telegram channels initially acknowledged the loss of the jet and claimed a Patriot air defense system was responsible, Caine's statement confirmed that a Ukrainian F-16 brought down the fighter in aerial combat, marking a major milestone in Ukraine's use of Western-supplied aircraft.

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