Tragic Training Flight: Two Russian Pilots Lose Lives in Sukhoi Su-30 Crash in Karelia

A Russian military aircraft went down in the northwestern republic of Karelia on Thursday, resulting in the deaths of both crew members, according to military and regional officials.

The incident occurred during a training mission involving the Sukhoi Su-30 fighter jet, as stated by Russia’s Defense Ministry. An official announcement indicated that the aircraft «crashed in an uninhabited area» and was not armed with any live munitions.

The accident took place around 7 p.m. local time in the Prionezhsky district, close to Lake Lososinskoe, as reported by the Telegram news outlet Baza, which allegedly has connections to Russian law enforcement. There were no reported injuries among civilians as a result of the crash.

That evening, Artur Parfenchikov, the head of the Karelia region, expressed his condolences on Telegram to the families and friends of the two pilots, who were members of the 159th Fighter Aviation Regiment.

Parfenchikov noted that emergency response teams were dispatched to the scene and assured that the government would provide the necessary support to the pilots’ relatives.

Aircraft from the 159th Fighter Aviation Regiment are tasked with patrolling Russia’s border with Finland and play a crucial role in the region’s air defense operations.