Moment two Russian fighter pilots parachute from their doomed jet as it spirals out of control and crashes in a fireball after being struck by Ukrainians

• Two Russian Su-34 pilots were seen parachuting from a doomed warplane 
• Their military jet was downed near Balakliia, in the Kharkiv region of Ukraine
• Footage showed the pilots ejecting as their plane crashed after a flat spin

By WILL STEWART FOR MAILONLINE

PUBLISHED: 14:43 BST, 25 April 2022 | UPDATED: 15:12 BST, 25 April 2022

This is the dramatic moment two Russian Su-34 pilots are seen parachuting from their doomed warplane.

The Sukhoi spiralled out of control then hit the ground in a giant fireball after being struck by the Ukrainians while on a bombing mission.

The white parachutes of the two pilots are seen in the sky after they eject.

Two Russian Su-34 pilots were seen parachuting from their doomed warplane in Ukraine

The Russian jet was downed near Balakliia, in the Kharkiv region. There appeared to be flames coming from the plane's engine as it spiralled to the ground

It is as yet unclear how the Ukrainians downed the Su-34 but it is believed to have been a surface-to-air missile

A huge explosion was seen as the plane crashed into fields below after going through a flat spin

Footage released today showed two Russian pilots ejected from their compromised jet

Some accounts said the pilots were later picked up by a Russian helicopter in an emergency rescue swoop to stop them falling into Ukrainian hands. 

Reports said the drama was near Balakliia, in the Kharkiv region, a key railway junction.

Russia is known to have been targeting Ukrainian rail links in its latest bombardment aimed at paralysing the country in the third month of the war.

Yet the loss of the plane is another blow to Vladimir Putin's faltering war effort, which is now especially targeting eastern Ukraine.

It is as yet unclear how the Ukrainians downed the Su-34 but it is believed to have been a surface-to-air missile.

A pro-Ukrainian report said: 'Information from eyewitnesses. Two helicopters flew to the area of the hit plane, one of them landed twice.

'It looks like they took away pilot-killers.'

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10751139/Russian-fighter-pilots-parachute-doomed-jet-spirals-control-crashes-Ukraine.html

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