” . . . while three fighter jets were hovering above. “
I didn’t know the Russians had a version of a Harrier!
But by reading the account, three Russian jets were loitering above the area and then something blows up on the ground. Imagine that, jets carrying bombs in a war zone and something nearby blows up. What will they think of next?
Not enough information to draw any clear indication what really happened.
[I didn’t know the Russians had a version of a Harrier!]
From a long time ago. Yak-36, eventually the Yak-38.
I don’t know if any of them still fly.