35 Russian Su-34 fighters were eliminated by Ukrainian Army, Kyiv created new defense system

Russians are experiencing the loss of the supersonic Su-34 fighter-bombers the hardest in Ukraine. Recall, the Su-34 is a multirole fighter-bomber produced by the Russian military giant Sukhoi. It is designed to perform a wide range of combat tasks, including strategic and tactical bombing, attacks on maritime targets, and aerial combat operations.

The aircraft is equipped with a tandem cockpit, allowing the two-pilot crew to work together to coordinate complex missions. According to military observer and retired US Army Special Forces warrant officer Steve Balestrieri in the first month of the full-scale war in Ukraine alone, the Russians lost 286 aircraft of all types. Among them were many fighters, which they considered to be among the best.

The Su-34 has a maximum speed of about 1,900 km/h and can operate at altitudes up to 15,000 meters, with a range of around 4,000 km without refueling.

Its primary weaponry includes various types of bombs, missiles, and cluster munitions, enabling it to strike a wide range of targets.

The role of the Su-34 in Ukraine is crucial for Russian military operations. The aircraft are actively used for strategic bombing of key infrastructure, military technical facilities, and command posts as part of Russia’s efforts to weaken Ukraine’s defense capability. According to Balestrieri, the Russians did not expect the Ukrainian forces to demonstrate such a multi-layered defense that could repel threats at different altitudes and distances. That is when they discovered that the Su-34 is vulnerable when flying at low and medium altitudes. The observer shared that to date, the occupiers have lost at least 35 Su-34s in battle. He does not rule out that the Russians could have lost even more of their aircraft as a result of attacks by Ukrainian drones. Balestrieri recalled that in November 2024, the Russians made a fuss about delivering a "batch" of new Su-34s. In reality, it was about two aircraft. Moreover, in March 2024, Russia lost eight Su-34 aircraft in 12 days. Three of them were destroyed on the same day, Balestrieri noted. Earlier, the Russians began using new UMPK-PD aerial bombs on Su-34 fighter-bombers. The need to develop a UMPK module with increased range has been discussed in the Russian Federation for several months. In addition, military expert Alexey Getman shared that the Russian Federation could have re-equipped the Su-34 to launch the Kinzhals. In order to launch the Kinzhals from other aircraft, it would only be necessary to redesign the mounts, he noted. Ukraine has developed effective tactics to neutralize these Russian aircraft, utilizing combined efforts from various air defense platforms and innovations in combat methods.