Oleshchuk: Pilot of downed Russian Su-35 likely dead

The pilot of the downed Russian Su-35 fighter jet is likely dead, and the fate of the crew of the enemy Su-34 is being investigated.

The commander of the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Lieutenant General Mykola Oleshchuk, reported this on Telegram, Ukrinform reported.

"Russian rescuers have reported that the pilot of the Su-35 is drifting 'face down' in the Sea of Azov. And the Cospas-Sarsat system again tells us where to look for the crew of the Su-34. We are working on it," he said.

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As reported, on February 19, the Ukrainian Air Force shot down two enemy aircraft in the east.

According to Ukrainian Armed Forces Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi, the aircraft were a Su-34 fighter-bomber and a Su-35S fighter jet that attacked Ukrainian troops' positions with guided bombs.

Cospas-Sarsat is an international satellite-based search and rescue system aimed at identifying the location of ships and aircraft in distress.