Zelensky: Four Su-34 aircraft destroyed at Russian airfield, two more hit

Ukraine reported a major strike on the Borisoglebsk military airfield in Russia’s Voronezh region. President Volodymyr Zelensky said four Su-34 aircraft were destroyed and two more were hit. The Ukrainian Navy described the same action as striking six Su-34M bombers.

The aircraft were valuable because they were reportedly ready to attack Ukraine and loaded with aerial bombs. The strike used Ukraine’s Neptune coastal missile system. Zelensky specifically confirmed the use of a “Long Neptune” missile against the airfield. The differing descriptions refer to the same six-aircraft episode, with one emphasizing damage details and the other the total number struck.

Ukraine said the operation reduced Russia’s aviation capabilities and the intensity of tactical aviation operations along affected front sections. It also indicated that long-range attacks would continue as responses to Russian attacks. The article does not provide a separate assessment of the two damaged aircraft’s future condition.

The Su-34M is a Russian military aircraft designed to carry several types of weapons. The article identifies guided aerial bombs, high-explosive aerial bombs, and various missiles among its possible payloads. That combination makes the aircraft a flexible strike platform rather than a simple transport or reconnaissance aircraft.

Russia uses Su-34M aircraft for guided-bomb attacks against Ukrainian Defense Forces positions and settlements near the frontline. In this episode, Ukraine said the aircraft at Borisoglebsk were loaded with aerial bombs and ready to launch new attacks. Destroying or damaging them before takeoff therefore removed weapons platforms from an active operation.

The Ukrainian Navy called these aircraft key assets in Russian military aviation. It said hitting six of them significantly weakened Russia’s aviation capabilities and reduced tactical aviation activity along affected sections of the front. The article presents continued strikes as part of a broader effort to degrade Russia’s combat capabilities.

The Neptune is described in the article as a Ukrainian coastal missile system. Ukraine said it used this system against the Borisoglebsk airfield, and President Zelensky confirmed that a “Long Neptune” missile hit the target. The weapon’s significance here is its ability to support attacks well beyond the immediate battlefield.

The word “Long” generally distinguishes a longer-range version or configuration of the Neptune missile. The article does not state its exact range, technical design, or how it differs from other Neptune versions. It does establish that the missile was used against a military airfield in Russia’s Voronezh region.

This strike shows how long-range weapons can reach sites used to prepare attacks, not only forces at the front. Zelensky also confirmed long-range strikes against a drone storage and launch site in Russia’s Oryol region and a target in the Black Sea. He said such operations would continue.

The reported series involved six Su-34 aircraft at the Borisoglebsk military airfield. Zelensky broke that figure into four aircraft destroyed and two more hit. The Ukrainian Navy separately described the episode as a strike on six Su-34M bombers.

Ukraine also confirmed two other target categories in the same account. Long-range weapons hit a site in Russia’s Oryol region used to store and launch attack drones. Zelensky additionally said that a target in the Black Sea was hit, but the article gives no further details about that target.

Taken together, the article identifies six aircraft and two other military targets, for three target groups. It does not state how many drones, weapons, or facilities were destroyed at the other locations. Zelensky presented the operations as responses to Russian attacks and said Ukraine’s long-range operations would continue.

Several destroyed or damaged Su-34 aircraft reduce the number of Russian platforms available to carry out guided-bomb attacks. The effect matters because these aircraft are described as key assets for attacking Ukrainian military positions and frontline settlements. Fewer usable aircraft can mean less available strike capacity.

The article provides a direct example at Borisoglebsk. Four Su-34s were destroyed and two were hit, while the Ukrainian Navy said six Su-34M bombers had been struck. They were reportedly loaded with aerial bombs and ready to launch attacks. The strike therefore affected both aircraft and an imminent attack mission.

The Ukrainian Navy said the damage significantly weakens Russia’s aviation capabilities and reduces the intensity of tactical aviation operations along affected sections of the front. The article does not quantify the reduction. It says Ukrainian forces intend to continue striking Russian military targets to systematically degrade combat capabilities.

Aircraft loaded with aerial bombs represent an immediate attack capability. They are not merely stored equipment; they are prepared platforms that can potentially depart, reach targets, and release weapons. Hitting them before launch can interrupt the planned attack and remove both aircraft and their loaded munitions from use.

At Borisoglebsk, Zelensky said the Su-34 aircraft were ready to launch new attacks on Ukraine and were loaded with aerial bombs. Ukraine reported four destroyed aircraft and two more hit. This made the airfield a valuable target because the strike reached the bombers during preparation rather than after they had attacked.

The article connects these aircraft to guided-bomb attacks on Ukrainian positions and frontline settlements. Disrupting them can therefore reduce pressure on those areas and force Russia to rely on fewer available aircraft. The report does not say whether the bombs themselves detonated or were destroyed, so the confirmed effect is on the aircraft and the planned attack capability.

A military airfield is the operating base that keeps combat aircraft usable. In general, ground crews store fuel and weapons, arm aircraft, inspect and repair them, and prepare crews for launch. The field also provides runways and support equipment for takeoff and return. These functions turn aircraft into repeatable combat missions.

The article gives a clear example of this vulnerability. At Borisoglebsk, Su-34 aircraft were reportedly loaded with aerial bombs and ready to launch attacks. A Neptune strike hit the airfield, destroying four aircraft and hitting two more. The attack therefore disrupted aircraft at the point where weapons and launch preparations were connected.

When an airfield is disrupted, aircraft may be unavailable, missions may be delayed, and fewer platforms may reach the front. Damage can also reduce the pace of repeated operations. The Ukrainian Navy said the strike weakened Russia’s aviation capabilities and reduced tactical aviation activity in affected areas. The article says Ukraine plans more long-range operations.