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, and The Kyiv Independent could not independently verify the claim.
Later on Oct. 29, President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed the destruction of the two Su-34 jets, adding that Ukrainian forces had also hit a Russian Iskander missile launcher. 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. "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. That 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.
Analysis
Why This Matters
- The loss of two more Su-34s further depletes Russia's fleet of modern fighter-bombers, which are central to its ability to launch guided bomb attacks on Ukrainian positions and cities.
- The strikes demonstrate Ukraine's growing capacity to hit high-value military targets deep inside Russian territory using domestically produced missiles, raising questions about Russia's airbase defenses.
- With Russia able to produce only 14-18 Su-34s per year, sustained losses at this pace are difficult to replace and may eventually limit the intensity of Russian aerial operations.
Background
The Su-34 is a modern Russian twin-seat fighter-bomber designed for precision strikes. Ukraine's military intelligence agency (HUR) reported Russia had about 140 in service as of Oct. 22. Ukraine's Neptune missile, originally an anti-ship weapon, has been adapted for land attack with an extended range. The Oct. 29 strike is the second such attack in October using Neptune missiles, following an Oct. 15 strike on Borisoglebsk airfield that destroyed four Su-34Ms.
What to Watch
- Whether Ukraine continues to target Russian airbases deeper inside Russia, potentially forcing Moscow to relocate aircraft further from the border.
- Russia's ability to accelerate Su-34 production or modernize older variants to compensate for combat losses.
- Any Russian response to the strikes, including possible retaliation against Ukrainian infrastructure or missile production facilities.
Checked
12 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 12 supported.
Show each claim
- SupportedThe Navy reported that two Russian Su-34s were destroyed in a Neptune strike on an airfield in Volgograd Oblast.Kyiv Independent: “Ukraine destroys 2 Russian Su-34 bomber jets in Neptune missile strike on airfield, Navy says. Ukraine's Navy destroyed two Russian Su-34 fighter-bomber jets in a strike against the Marinovka military airfield in Russia's Volgograd Oblast”
- SupportedZelensky confirmed the destruction of the aircraft, while the Navy reported that domestically produced missiles were used at Marinovka airbase.Kyiv Independent: “using domestically produced Neptune missiles, the Navy reported on Oct. 29. ... Later on Oct. 29, President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed the destruction of the two Su-34 jets”
- SupportedThe Navy said its strike on Marinovka military airfield in Volgograd Oblast destroyed two Russian Su-34 fighter-bomber jets using domestically produced Neptune missiles, and reported it on Oct. 29.Kyiv Independent: “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.”
- SupportedThe aircraft were at the base of Russia's 11th Mixed Aviation Regiment near Oktyabrsky, and the regiment belongs to the 4th Mixed Aviation Division of the 4th Air and Air Defense Forces Army.Kyiv Independent: “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.”
- SupportedThe Navy provided no visual confirmation, and The Kyiv Independent could not independently verify the strike claim.Kyiv Independent: “The Navy did not provide any visual confirmation of the strike. The Kyiv Independent could not independently verify the claim.”
- SupportedZelensky said Ukrainian forces had also hit a Russian Iskander missile launcher.Kyiv Independent: “Later on Oct. 29, President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed the destruction of the two Su-34 jets, adding that Ukrainian forces had also hit a Russian Iskander missile launcher.”
- SupportedHUR said: “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,”Kyiv Independent: “"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.”
- SupportedHUR reported that Russia had approximately 140 Su-34s of various modifications in service as of Oct. 22, including the Su-34M.Kyiv Independent: “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.”
- SupportedHUR said Russia had lost 43 Su-34s destroyed and another seven damaged since the start of its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.Kyiv Independent: “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.”
- SupportedHUR estimated annual production at approximately 14 to 18 Su-34s, making the destroyed aircraft equivalent to roughly 2.5–3 years of production.Kyiv Independent: “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.”
- SupportedAn Oct. 15 attack on Borisoglebsk airfield in Voronezh Oblast destroyed four Su-34Ms and damaged two more, using Neptune missiles.Kyiv Independent: “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.”
- SupportedUkraine developed a longer-range Neptune version capable of striking targets up to 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) away.Kyiv Independent: “Ukraine has since developed a longer-range version capable of striking targets up to 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) away.”