Ukraine destroys 2 Russian Su-34 bomber jets in Neptune missile strike on airfield, Navy says
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Ukraine's Navy destroyed two Russian Su-34 fighter-bomber jets in a strike against the Marinovka military airfield in Russia's Volgograd Oblast, using domestically produced Neptune missiles, the Navy reported on Oct. 29.
The aircraft were destroyed at the base of Russia's 11th Mixed Aviation Regiment near the settlement of Oktyabrsky, according to the Navy. The regiment belongs to the 4th Mixed Aviation Division of Russia's 4th Air and Air Defense Forces Army. The Navy did not provide any visual confirmation of the strike. The Kyiv Independent could not independently verify the claim.
The Su-34 is one of Russia's main aircraft used to launch guided aerial bombs against Ukrainian cities, frontline settlements, and military positions. Strikes against these aircraft could weaken Russia's ability to carry out such attacks, while replacing the losses requires significant time and resources.
Russia had approximately 140 Su-34 fighter-bombers of various modifications in service as of Oct. 22, including the modernized Su-34M, Ukraine's military intelligence agency (HUR) reported on Oct. 29.
According to the agency, Russia has lost 43 Su-34 aircraft destroyed and another seven damaged since the start of its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
"Such losses are quite significant for the aggressor's aircraft fleet, whose restoration requires a lengthy production cycle, substantial financial resources, and specialized industrial cooperation," HUR said.
The agency estimated that Russia can manufacture approximately 14 to 18 Su-34 aircraft annually, meaning the number of destroyed aircraft is equivalent to roughly 2.5–3 years of production.
Despite the losses, Russia continues to manufacture and modernize the aircraft to maintain its fleet and sustain aerial attacks against Ukraine.
The latest strike follows an Oct. 15 attack on the Borisoglebsk military airfield in Russia's Voronezh Oblast that destroyed four Su-34M bomber-jets and damaged two more. The attack was also carried out using Neptune missiles.
The Ukrainian ground-launched Neptune cruise missile is best known for sinking Russia's Black Sea flagship, the Moskva, in 2022. Ukraine has since developed a longer-range version capable of striking targets up to 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) away.
