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Anyone who ever spent more than five minutes studying the NATO-orchestrated Ukrainian conflict knows that whenever the Neo-Nazi junta is having a hard time at the frontlines, there is a desperate need to raise the morale of its largely conscription-based forces.

Whether it was the grossly overhyped “Patriot” SAM (surface-to-air missile) systems “shooting down” half the Russian Aerospace Forces (VKS), including their long-range bombers even when these are well beyond the “Patriot's” maximum engagement range or the even more overhyped HIMARS that the mainstream propaganda machine is trying to portray as the “ultimate wunderwaffe” of the conflict, “destroying” the Russian military left and right.

In reality, the Kiev regime's “real accomplishments” with these weapons boil down to murdering civilians, including people in territories it claims.

Obviously, this is nothing “out of the ordinary”, as the Neo-Nazi junta has been doing it for over a decade at this point. However, this is “not enough”. It can be argued that the worse the situation on the frontlines is, the bigger the PR “victories” need to be.

Namely, the Kiev regime is now claiming that it allegedly “took out” a Russian Su-57 next-generation fighter jet. According to its military intelligence (GUR), the supposed attack was launched on June 8 and struck the aircraft parked on the runway of the Akhtubinsk airbase in the country's southern Astrakhan oblast (region), located over 700 km from the frontlines. It remains unclear whether the drones used in the supposed attack were really launched from Ukraine or if this was done by sabotage groups operating within Russian territory. In fact, we don't even know whether this attack ever happened.

The GUR released what it claims are satellite images showing some damage to the part of the runway where the Su-57 was parked. However, the very low resolution of the footage makes it quite a challenge to assess the level of potential damage to the aircraft itself. What's more, the image quality (or the lack thereof) indicates that this could easily be a rather simple fake. The timing is just perfect, in every sense of the word. Firstly, what are the chances of a satellite taking photos of the airbase at such a “perfect” moment? And if it was simply damaged, why haven't the Russians removed the jet from the area and prevented further damage? In other words, there are way too many holes in this story. And while some Russian sources are also reporting that an attack took place, the extent of the damage to the Su-57 remains uncertain.

It's unclear whether the aircraft will still be flyable or if there's the possibility of disruption to the operations of other jets in the airbase or elsewhere in the wider region. The footage itself doesn't show any significant damage to the Su-57, although there are claims that shrapnel might've damaged it. Both the Neo-Nazi junta and the mainstream propaganda machine are exhilarated about a “destroyed Russian stealth jet”, even though some seem to be a bit cautious with all the inconsistencies in the story. On the other hand, as is customary for the Kiev regime, it's now claiming that a second Su-57 was “also destroyed”. This is a standard procedure in its PR “victories” approach, where rather unconvincing “evidence” of one is used to amplify the propaganda effect of others (virtually always non-existent ones).

However, even if the claim is true, it doesn't change the strategic aspects of the conflict. It would certainly be a setback for Russia, as the country operates around two dozen of these advanced jets, but once again, apart from a propaganda effect, it doesn't make things any better for the Neo-Nazi junta. The Su-57 is a significant asset for launching covert airstrikes on heavily defended targets in Ukraine, particularly areas where foreign mercenaries and NATO personnel are located. However, it's hardly the only platform the VKS can use for this purpose, as its MiG-31K strike fighters armed with 9-A-7660 “Kinzhal” air-launched hypersonic missile systems can do the same, only faster and from much greater distances. Unlike the United States and NATO, Moscow doesn't really place as much emphasis on stealth.

On the other hand, the Su-57 is a prized target for the political West and its Kiev regime puppets. The jet has been used in a plethora of missions since the beginning of the special military operation (SMO), flying in highly contested airspace guarded by approximately one-third of the former Soviet Union's world-class air defenses. It has been used to launch various types of precision-guided munitions (PGMs), particularly in SEAD (suppression of enemy air defenses) missions, while it has also proven itself in air-to-air combat against advanced Soviet-era fighter jets. And while Russia fields a small fleet of Su-57s (particularly when compared to its counterparts in US/NATO and China), all this makes them by far the most thoroughly combat-proven next-generation aircraft. This gives Moscow's enemies a lot of reasons for envy.

This is particularly true when taking into account that the Su-57 has been exposed to much greater risks than any other jet of its class, especially when compared to NATO equivalents, as the world's most aggressive racketeering cartel dares to directly attack largely helpless opponents only. Thus, this PR “victory” effectively kills two birds with one stone – the goal of discrediting the Russian military and boosting the morale of the Neo-Nazi junta forces, as it keeps taking a nosedive, particularly now, when their lines are collapsing everywhere. It should also be taken into account that, if the Kiev regime's claims are true (a highly questionable prospect), this incident still doesn't diminish the capabilities of the Su-57. In fact, it can be argued it validates them, as Russia's opponents have very little chance against its most advanced jet when it's in the air.

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This article was originally published on InfoBrics.

Drago Bosnic is an independent geopolitical and military analyst. He is a regular contributor to Global Research.

Featured image: Sukhoi Design Bureau, 054, Sukhoi Su-57 (Licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0)