Media: Russia relocates Su-57 fighters to Far East amid Ukraine war

Russia has reportedly redeployed its fifth-generation Su-57 fighter jets to a remote airbase in the country’s Far East, near the border with China, amid the ongoing war in Ukraine.

The claim was made by Peter Suciu, a contributor to the US-based magazine The National Interest (TNI), in an article analysing newly released satellite imagery.

According to the report, several Sukhoi Su-57 aircraft were spotted at a distant Far Eastern airbase, geographically far removed from the theatre of combat operations in Ukraine. The move has sparked speculation about Moscow’s motives.

Suciu suggests that the redeployment could be linked to modernisation work or testing activities. However, he also advances another possible explanation — that Russia may be seeking to shield its most advanced and limited fleet of Su-57 fighters from potential threats related to the conflict in Ukraine.

“Another possible explanation is that Russia is seeking to protect its prized Su-57s from Ukraine, moving them as far from the fighting as possible—and making it more difficult for Ukrainian drones and saboteurs to reach them,” Suciu writes.

The Su-57 is Russia’s flagship fifth-generation stealth fighter, developed to compete with Western counterparts. Its limited production numbers and high strategic value have made it one of the most closely watched assets in the Russian Aerospace Forces’ inventory.

By Vugar Khalilov