Russia Accidentally Shoots at Own Jet in Viral Video

Remarkable footage shows the moment a Russian military jet, likely somewhere in Ukraine, was targeted by missiles from its own side.

The footage was reported by pro-war Telegram channel Two Majors, according to The Sun.

Two separate videos of the incident were uncovered. The first shows a Sukhoi Su-25 aircraft flying very low over a Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS). At least five rockets are then launched in quick succession, just missing the plane.

It is unclear exactly where and when the footage was taken.

A second video, purportedly also stemming from the incident, has also been released, highlighting an angry exchange between a person, possibly the pilot, and personnel on the ground.

It is not clear who voices their concern and it may have been another pilot flying close by, but one person can be heard warning ground troops to watch out after the rockets were fired.

"Let them know, the voice said according to a translation by X account War Translated. "This is so wrong."

Another voice can then be heard chastising the MLRS operators and using a homophobic slur.

"Tell them I'm going to fire on them," the voice said.

Two Majors said: "Our warriors are people of unbridled courage. They are in such a rush to hit the enemy, that they do not look at what is happening around them. The footage is truly unique."

Comments on the dramatic near-miss included a description of the incident as "Russian roulette."

In November, footage appeared to show a Russian Su-25 jet being downed in eastern Ukraine's Donetsk region.

The incident, near Avdiivka, purportedly brought the tally of Russian aircraft lost since the beginning of Vladimir Putin's full-scale invasion to 323, according to the General Staff of Ukraine's armed forces.

Newsweek cannot independently verify the figures. It has approached the Russian Defense Ministry for comment via email.

The Su-25 first entered service during the early 1980s and the aircraft remained in production until 2017.

The near miss reported this week was a reminder of previous incidents involving the jet that have ended in disaster.

For example, in 2007, an Su-25 belonging to the Congolese air force suddenly crashed during an Independence Day parade attended by then-President Joseph Kabila near the city of Kisangani. The pilot was killed when the plane suddenly suffered an engine problem and left the formation it was flying in.