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Ukraine has shot down a Russian Su-34 fighter jet over Kursk during an ongoing territorial advance.
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The Su-34, worth about $36 million, is Russia's most efficient fighter-bomber with advanced technology.
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Ukraine has a long history of successful strikes with Russian Su-34s.
Ukraine reports its military shot down one of Russia's most expensive fighter jets over Kursk, more than a week after a surprise attack on the region.
“The Ukrainian Defense Forces destroyed the enemy Su-34. The sky over Kurshchyna became clearer,” the Ukrainian General Staff wrote in a Telegram message on Wednesday.
Video footage of what appears to be fire and debris from the crashed jet circulated on social media and was cited in a Newsweek story. Business Insider was unable to independently verify the video.
The Su-34, also known as the Fullback, is worth about $36 million, The Kyiv Post reported.
It is considered Russia's most efficient fighter-bomber. It has sensors, avionics and smart weapons that allow it to quickly identify targets, Forbes previously reported.
Ukraine has previously had long kill streaks with Russian Su-34s. In February, the Ukrainian military said it had shot down four Su-34s in one week and a total of 10 Russian fighter jets in 10 days.
It comes as Ukraine's advance into Russian territory continues. As of Wednesday, 74 settlements were under Ukrainian control, the army's chief commander, Oleksandr Syrskyi, said.
The invasion began on August 6 and led to a state of emergency in the region.
The mission remained secret, even from members of the Ukrainian military. The New York Times reported that a research institute affiliated with the military had analyzed the most successful operations in modern history and found that the operations with the best results had been kept secret.
An unnamed Ukrainian deputy brigade official told The Times that most senior officers had been given only three days' notice of the invasion, while soldiers in non-command positions had only one day's notice.
Representatives of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and the Russian Foreign Ministry did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
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