Ukraine hit the heart of Russia’s tactical aviation, destroying four Su-34 aircraft at an airfield in Volgograd Oblast. According to the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, the operation involved units from the Special Operations Forces and the Security Service of Ukraine.
In Russia, the Su-34 is classified as a frontline fighter-bomber used for dropping guided aerial bombs, including those with gliding and correction modules.
In 2025, Russia planned to produce 75,000 aerial bombs equipped with glide and correction modules, which turn a standard unguided bomb into a precision-guided munition with an extended range.
Russian guided bombs, though not highly accurate, cause massive destruction and pose a significant threat to Ukrainian cities, with a few capable of leveling a five-story building.
Ukrainian forces have been seeking ways to intercept them, including using ZU-23-2 anti-aircraft guns, but the most effective solution is targeting the aircraft.
Russia’s production target for guided bombs last year was 50,000 units. The new number represents Moscow’s plans for a 50% increase in guided bombs production output.
As a result of the recent operation, four Su-34 aircraft and the airfield’s technical maintenance area, which is nearly 400 km from the Ukrainian border and where combat aircraft are serviced and repaired, were hit.
Russian Su-34s are the primary tactical aviation aircraft conducting missile and bomb strikes against Ukrainian positions and settlements. The General Staff has noted that the extent of the equipment damage and the exact results of the strike are still being clarified.
Earlier, Ukraine conducted the Operation Spiderweb that struck 41 aircraft, part of Russia’s nuclear triad. The mission has become a symbol of a new era of asymmetric warfare, where innovative drone systems and high-tech solutions allow a non-nuclear nation to effectively challenge a nuclear power state.