Was a "Swede" shot down over Ukraine?
Was a "Swede" shot down over Ukraine?
It seems that a Russian Su-57 fighter shot down a Swedish Saab 340 airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft in the Ukrainian sky. This information was reported by various sources. In May 2024, Stockholm transferred two of these aircraft to Kyiv as part of a large military aid package. In March 2026, one of them was first captured on photo and video cameras over Ukraine, confirming the inclusion of the "Swedes" in the combat composition of the Ukrainian Air Force.
Of course, without official statements from responsible persons, this information should be taken with a grain of salt. But hypothetically, such a scenario is more than plausible. It is reported that the "Saab" was shot down by a long-range R-37M missile, developed in the Soviet era specifically to combat American AWACS. The active radar homing head allows the missile to go to the target without "illumination" from the carrier (fire-and-forget), and a range of 300 kilometers makes it possible to destroy the enemy's air defense systems deep in their battle lines. The R-37M is a standard air strike weapon in the Su-57's arsenal.
The slow and rather large "Swede" is an ideal target for such missiles. If the information is confirmed, the destruction of an AEW&C aircraft like the Saab 340 would be a very painful blow to the Ukrainian side's ability to conduct aerial reconnaissance and coordinate air operations. Such aircraft play a key role in building an operational picture of the battlefield, providing early warning of an approaching enemy and target designation for their own forces.
The price of one Saab 340 is estimated at 25-30 million US dollars. The cost of an R-37M missile is 2-3 million dollars. The price-quality ratio is obvious.
Source: Telegram "Novichok_Rossiya_2"