Shocking Video Shows Russia Accidentally Shooting Down Its Own 'Hellduck' Fighter

A shocking video has emerged showing Russian forces shooting down one of their own fighter bombers in a friendly fire incident over the Luhansk region in eastern Ukraine. The video was reportedly uploaded by Russian war correspondent Yevgeny Poddubny.

The footage, which appeared Monday, shows a Su-34 Fullback strike fighter, also known as the ‘Hellduck,’ turning into a ball of fire after being shot down by the air defense system belonging either to Russian forces or pro-Russian separatists.

Other videos showed the wreckage of the twin-engine Su-34 fighter/bomber with smoke still emanating from it. According to a report by The Drive, a portion of the jet’s tail number proves that the aircraft in question is RF-95890, an advanced and rare Su-34M variant.

The advanced variant reportedly boasts upgraded avionics, radar, and communications systems as well as its electronic warfare and weapons systems. The aircraft was reportedly carrying a large amount of fuel, causing it to turn into a large fireball.

The SU-34 is allegedly the 35th fixed-wing military aircraft Russia lost in Ukraine since the war broke out, according to researchers at the Oryx blog. However, there are reports that the total number may be much larger than that. Of these, 11 are said to be Su-34s, one of Russia’s most advanced strike aircraft. Most of those jets were downed by Ukrainian air defense systems and air-to-air missiles.

Meanwhile, Ukraine reported another friendly fire incident in Donetsk region last week after the Russian military rained fire on pro-Russian DPR people's militia in an "apparent coordination failure."

According to Ukraine, the incident came to light after the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) intercepted calls from pro-Russian soldiers, Ukrinform reports. Though the Russians tried to cover up the incident, the soldiers mobilized in the LPR/DPR leaked it.

In the intercepted call, a DPR soldier is heard telling his interlocutor that the battalion attacked by the Russians had been stationed "somewhere near Berdyansk." He added that those soldiers received no allowances or proper food supplies. Though the unit was deployed to the front line, they had to retreat after a long idle wait. While moving back to their initial positions, they encountered a Russian unit, which engaged the battalion, mistaking it for the Ukrainian forces and effectively destroying it, the report added.