A video reportedly filmed by an Algerian potato farmer appears to show a Russian Su-57 stealth fighter jet flying near Oum El Bouaghi Air Base, suggesting Algeria has begun receiving the aircraft.
The footage, shared on TikTok, shows the distinctive silhouette of Russia's fifth-generation fighter over terrain consistent with northern Algeria. If confirmed, Algeria would become the first country outside Russia to operate the Su-57.
<social>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MuyKFhkZpyE</social>
Algiers has long been linked to the export variant of the jet, the Su-57E, first unveiled at the 2019 MAKS air show in Moscow. In 2025, leaked documents from Russia's state-owned Rostec indicated Algeria had ordered 12 Su-57s, alongside 14 Su-34 fighter-bombers, though details on the final number and cost remain unclear. Russian media have previously reported the deal to be worth around $2 billion.
Moscow confirmed in late 2025 that two Su-57s had been delivered to an unnamed foreign customer. The reported arrival of the aircraft comes amid broader efforts by Russia to sustain defence exports despite sanctions linked to its invasion of Ukraine. The development could also affect the regional balance in North Africa, where tensions between Algeria and Morocco remain high...