Russian Su-27 Fighter Jet Crashes Nizhny Novgorod Region Pilots Eject One Missing

A Russian Su-27 fighter jet crashed near the town of Kulebaki in the Nizhny Novgorod region during a training flight, with both pilots ejecting safely; one pilot has been located while the search for the other continues. The aircraft, which was unarmed and reportedly destroyed beyond repair, was part of the Russian Ministry of Defense's 4th State Center for Flight Personnel Training. This incident adds to a series of recent Russian military aircraft losses, including other Su-27 crashes and a Tu-22M3 bomber crash earlier in the year. The Su-27 is a Soviet-designed, fourth-generation multirole fighter introduced in the 1980s and remains in service with the Russian air force, though numbers have declined. Some reports highlight coordination issues within Russian forces, with previous friendly fire incidents and losses attributed to Ukraine's actions. Firefighters and rescue teams are actively working at the crash site, and investigations into the accident are ongoing.