Ukrainian soldier downs Russian Su-25 with Igla missile - Video

"This is a rare case where the downing of an enemy aircraft was captured on video. With an accurate shot from an Igla MANPADS, a soldier of the 58th Brigade, call sign Talib, took down a Russian Su-25," the military reported.

This is not his first trophy. According to the military, his record includes four aircraft and two Shahed drones. The exact location of the shootdown was not disclosed.

"Talib doesn't like it when junk flies over his land, and he’s quite the hunter. More to come," the video caption reads.

What we know about the Su-25

The Su-25 is a Soviet-era and later Russian ground-attack aircraft designed for close air support on the battlefield. Also called a flying tank, it features an armored cockpit that protects the pilot from ground fire. The aircraft is capable of carrying a wide array of unguided and guided bombs, air-to-ground missiles, and is equipped with a 30mm cannon.

In Russia’s ongoing war against Ukraine, the Su-25 remains the primary frontline attack aircraft. However, it has suffered heavy losses due to Ukraine’s effective air defense systems and mobile MANPADS (man-portable air defense system) teams. The high risk of being shot down has forced Russian pilots to launch missiles from safer distances, significantly reducing the accuracy of their strikes. Despite some aircraft undergoing upgrades (such as the Su-25SM variant), the jets are still considered vulnerable and technologically outdated compared to modern air defense systems.

Notably, in early February, Ukrainian forces downed another Su-25 near Toretsk. Ukrainian reconnaissance units filmed the aftermath of the strike, which was carried out by air defense troops from the 28th Mechanized Brigade and the 57th Territorial Defense Brigade.