MOSCOW, Jan. 14 (Xinhua) -- A Russian Su-27 fighter on a scheduled mission disappeared in the Far Eastern region of Khabarovsk, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Thursday.

    A Defense Ministry spokesman said on local TV that the fighter went off the radar screens while it was about 30 km away from the air base it had taken off from.

    A search and rescue operation is underway but so far there have been no signs of the missing fighter, who the ministry says is experienced and well-trained.

    The Su-27 is an air-superiority long-range, Mach-2 class interceptor-fighter that has been in service since 1984.