Syrian rebels shot down a Russian warplane for the first time on Saturday and Russia’s defence ministry said the pilot was killed as he resisted capture by jihadists.

The Su-25 was destroyed over the rebel-held northwestern province of Idlib as it provided air support to pro-Assad regime forces attacking the city of Saraqeb.

Video footage showed the Russian jet manoeuvring over Idlib and then a parachute emerging after it was hit.

“The pilot had enough time to announce he had ejected into the zone, under the control of al-Nusra Front fighters," the Russian defence ministry said, referring to a jihadist group linked to al-Qaeda. "The pilot was killed in fighting against terrorists."

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) also said the pilot was killed as he resisted being taken captive. But several opposition activists claimed he was already dead by the time rebel fighters reached him and he appeared to have died during ejection.