Extensive update *): Red Star shoots down a Red Star
The fatal aircraft involved is a Sukhoi Su-30M2 registration RF-95869, Bort Number 60 Red (construction number 79810388415) built in 2014. The aircraft came down in a forest in the Vyshnevolovetsky area, without causing any damage to the infrastructure.
The Su-30M2 was part of the 3rd Mixed Aviation Regiment of the 1st Mixed Aviation Division of the 4th Red Banner Army of the Air Force and Air Defence of the Southern Military District, stationed at the Krymsk airfield (Krasnodar Territory). The Sukhoi Su-35S belonged to the 790th Fighter Aviation Regiment of the 105th Mixed Aviation Division of the 6th Leningrad Red Banner Army of the Air Force and Air Defense of the Western Military District, based at the Khotilovo airfield.
The reason for the crash is confirmed as an air-to-air kill by a friendly Su-35S that used its GSh-301 30mm canon during a close combat training near the Khotilovo airfield. The Su-30M2 was part of a formation of three aircraft that acted as a hostile flight. The attacking Su-35S got behind the Su-30M2 while the unlucky fighter was performing a sharp maneuver with an upward climb. The Su-35S performed a simulated photo shooting which, to the shock and awe of the Su-35S pilot, turned out to be a live fire. The 30mm rounds completely shattered Sukhoi’s wing console, the wounded aircraft lost speed and after the pilots ejected, the fighter leveled off, flew a couple of miles and fell into the forest.
The search for the crashed Flanker has not been successful, as of yet. The military has already examined the alleged crash site, but the wreckage has not yet been found. Search is also being conducted with helicopters, but the wreckage of the Sukhoi cannot be seen from the air.
It is noteworthy that during training flights on a Sukhoi, cannon rounds are not removed from the aircraft. In reality, the ammunition for the GSh-301 cannon is always loaded, but the cannon is disabled by specialist technicians using a special switch, as well as disconnection of the ShR connector which practically unplugs the gun off the socket. Prior to the flight, another ground specialist performs a routine check of the aircraft, including the status of the cannon, the pilot has practically no possibility to do that from the cockpit. Nevertheless, there are additional control mechanisms built in which should have prevented such accidental occurrence. As the last stage of protection, the Main B switch does not turn on, and in addition, a control procedure needs to be made by pointing the aircraft in a safe direction during the flight and pressing the BK trigger while recording on a tape recorder. Only then actual attacks are permitted. The fact that this incident has occurred indicates that these obligatory actions were not performed before the photo shooting.
*) News report 23 September 2020: Whoops, Red Star shoots down a Red Star