Russian Su-25 crashes moments after take-off; causes enormous explosion [watch]

In the backdrop of Russia-Ukraine conflict and a crushing defeat of the Russian forces in eastern Ukraine, a new video shows Putin's crumbling military capability. A dramatic video has captured a Russian fighter jet Su-25 crashing into the ground and causing an enormous explosion. What's shocking is that the £9.4 million-worth fighter jet crashed just moments after take-off from an unidentified airfield reportedly in Crimea.

In the video, two fighter jets take off together and then glide to the left direction. As one of the jets zoom past the frame into the sky, the second jet is seen heading straight to the ground. A huge fireball erupts followed by an umbrella of smoke plummeting into the sky. Men recording the video scream in shock. The pilot, who was the sole occupant, died in the crash.

Cause unknown

The reason for the crash remains unknown, but it is reported that the pilot lost control of the jet.

"It didn't fly. It got hit. It hit the field," a man behind the scenes is heard saying.

Anton Gerashchenko, a Ukrainian government adviser, shared the video, writing: "Aerobatics of [a] Russian Su-25 plane on one of the airfields in occupied Crimea. This plane cost about $11 million. If that's Russian spirit, it looked low."

Ukraine regaining control

Meanwhile, tables appear to be slowly turning in favour of Ukraine. Ukrainian forces outnumbered Russians by eight to one in last week's counter-attack in the Kharkiv region, Russia's top occupation official there said. Vitaly Ganchev told Russian TV that Ukraine's army had taken villages in the north and broken through to the Russian border, BBC reported.

Ukraine says it has regained control over 3,000 sq km of territory in a potential breakthrough in the war. The Ukrainian army says it took back 20 villages in the past 24 hours alone, in its continued counter-offensive in the north-east of the country, BBC reported. It also said its forces have taken control of around 500 sq km in the southern Kherson region of the country.