Since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022, Moscow has confirmed the loss of at least ten Su-34s in combat with Kiev forces, although the actual number of jets shot down is believed to be significantly higher.
ADVERTISING
The Ukrainian Air Force said on Friday it had shot down three Russian Sukhoi Su-34 fighter-bombers in the south of the country. President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that this happened in the Kherson region, where fighting continues.
“This afternoon, three Russian Su-34 fighter-bombers were shot down in the southern operational zone,” Ukrainian Air Force Commander Mykola Oleshchuk said in Telegram.
In his speech on Friday evening, Zelensky specified that those jets were shot down by missiles and said he was “grateful to our soldiers who destroyed three Russian Sukhoi planes at once. In the south – in our Kherson region”.
“Inform every Russian pilot about our response to every Russian murderer – none of them will go unpunished,” Zelensky added.
The Air Force did not say what happened to the planes' pilots.
Authorities in Moscow did not immediately confirm the incident. However, the widely cited Russian military blog Fighterbomber pointed to “combat losses” that it said were caused by the US-supplied Patriot anti-aircraft system.
What are Su-34s and why is this attack important?
Su-34 is Russia's most advanced two-seat supersonic medium-range fighter-bomber – a jet type not commonly found in Western arsenals, with the US-made F-111 and F-15E Strike Eagle being the most similar multi-role aircraft.
Moscow has been in operation since 2014 and has used the jet in missions in Syria and Ukraine. Although the Kremlin touted them as the crown jewel of its military aviation, the lack of guided missiles meant Su-34s were used in low-altitude bombing missions, leaving them vulnerable to heavy air defense.
Since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022, Moscow has confirmed the loss of at least ten Su-34s in combat with Kiev forces, while the actual number of jets shot down is believed to be significantly higher.
Ukraine's performance on Friday is all the more remarkable considering that Russian forces have not lost more than one Su-34 on the same day since March 5 last year.
Su-34s have also been involved in several crashes in Russia, most notably on October 17, 2022, when one of the jets crashed into an apartment complex during a training flight in the city of Yeysk. According to local authorities, at least 15 people died and 19 were hospitalized.
In related news, the Dutch government announced on Friday that it is preparing to deliver 18 F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine to strengthen the country's air combat capabilities.
The donation is believed to be a major step toward helping Ukraine gain significant ground in the battle for air supremacy – a powerful element of modern warfare that Russia has used to its advantage, accounting for a fifth of the country's air supremacy to maintain a stranglehold on Ukrainian territory.