When two white vapor trails cross the sky near the front lines in eastern Ukraine, it usually signals one thing: an imminent Russian airstrike. But what unfolded near the city of Kostyantynivka was far from typical.
A lower trail suddenly split in two, with a new object accelerating quickly toward the other trail until they intersected, causing a bright orange flash to illuminate the sky.
This extraordinary event sparked intrigue across Ukraine. Was it a case of Russian “friendly fire,” where a Russian jet mistakenly shot down another, or did a Ukrainian fighter successfully intercept a Russian plane?
The mystery was soon unraveled by the fallen debris. It was the destruction of Russia’s newest and most advanced weapon—the S-70 Okhotnik stealth combat drone.
The Okhotnik, or “Hunter,” is no ordinary drone. As large as a fighter jet but without a cockpit, this heavy, unmanned vehicle is designed to be difficult to detect. Russian developers have touted it as having “almost no analog” worldwide, but its performance in the skies over Ukraine suggested otherwise.
Footage from the encounter indicates that the second trail seen was likely from a Russian Su-57 jet, apparently dispatched to chase down the errant drone. This raises significant questions about the S-70’s reliability and Russia’s latest military strategies in the region.
The Russian Su-57 plane may have been attempting to re-establish contact with the errant S-70 Okhotnik drone. However, as both aircraft entered a Ukrainian air defense zone, it’s believed a critical decision was made to eliminate the Okhotnik to prevent it from falling into enemy hands.
So far, neither Moscow nor Kyiv has provided an official statement regarding the incident over Kostyantynivka. Nevertheless, military analysts suggest that Russia likely lost control of their drone, possibly due to electronic jamming efforts by Ukraine’s advanced warfare systems.
This conflict has witnessed numerous drone engagements, but none quite like Russia’s S-70 Okhotnik. Weighing in at over 20 tonnes, this stealth drone is reported to possess an impressive range of 6,000 kilometers (approximately 3,700 miles), showcasing its potential as a formidable asset on the battlefield.
