Putin is embarrassed as his expensive stealth drone, costing £11.5 million, is mistakenly shot down by his own military aircraft.

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In a startling and intense moment, a Russian stealth drone worth £11.5 million was shot down by a Su-57 warplane, believed to be under the command of Russian President Vladimir Putin. The scene unfolded over eastern Ukraine as two aircrafts raced through the sky. Suddenly, the trailing plane launched a missile that struck the one in front, causing it to explode and plummet to the ground. The shooting plane, now identified as a state-of-the-art Su-57, swiftly veered away to the side.

Initially, Russian pro-war channels were jubilant, claiming that a Ukrainian warplane had been taken down by their attack aircraft. However, upon closer inspection, it was discovered that the downed aircraft bore distinctive Russian symbols and was likely a Russian Su-25 warplane. This led to speculation that it was a humiliating case of "friendly fire" between Russian forces.

According to reports from the Russian Military Informant Telegram channel, the enemy had shared a video of the wreckage with red stars painted on it, indicating that it was a Russian aircraft. The channel went on to suggest that the incident was the result of "friendly fire" at close range, leaving one plane to shoot down the other.

Ukrainian war journalist Denys Kazansky reported that the Russian military had once again taken down its own plane. He revealed that the aircraft had crashed on Ukrainian-controlled territory near Kostiantynivka, much to the dismay of pro-war Russian channels who had prematurely celebrated the downing of a Ukrainian plane.

The Exilenova+ TG channel reported that it was a Russian Su-25 warplane that had shot down the Russian drone over Kostiantynivka, adding that it was a regrettable incident. Had this version been true, it would have been a major embarrassment for Putin in the midst of the ongoing war.

However, it was later confirmed that the downed aircraft was not a warplane but a military drone, likely an S-70 Okhotnik or Hunter, a 20-ton stealth unmanned combat aerial vehicle developed by Sukhoi and the Russian Aircraft Corporation. This was a new addition to the war that had not been seen before.

Despite initial fears, the Russian Fighterbomber Telegram channel reassured that all their planes and crews had returned safely without any losses. However, there was still a lingering question as to why the Su-57 had shot down the drone. The Military Informant channel shared another video that showed the drone falling to the ground, raising the question of what it was doing in enemy territory and why it was targeted by a Su-57.

In the absence of official statements, there were various speculations as to what had caused the incident. Some believed it was a Ukrainian warplane that had taken down the Russian drone, while others suggested it was a deliberate decision to eliminate the drone due to a technical malfunction that caused it to fly towards enemy territory.

As more information came to light, it was revealed that the wreckage of the Su-57 was now in Ukrainian hands, potentially giving them access to valuable secrets. This marked the first loss of such a drone, making it a significant event in the ongoing war. Despite the destruction, Russian blogger Thirteenth remained unfazed, stating that there was no pilot on board and that they could always build another one.

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