Russia deploys Su‑57 with Stealth Missiles in Ukraine, bypassing frontlines

The Russian Su-57 is an aircraft that Kremlin propaganda depicts as a superweapon. Western experts have their doubts, but it seems that Russians have begun using their most modern machine for attacks on Ukraine.

The use of the Su-57 by Russians was reported by the spokesperson for the Ukrainian Air Forces, Illya Yevlash. According to him, Russia uses the Su-57 for missile attacks on Ukrainian infrastructure. However, the spokesperson noted that the aircraft do not approach the front lines and attack Ukraine from a safe distance.

According to Illya Yevlash, the Su-57 was used, among other occasions, during attacks conducted on 11 April and 26 April, and the aircraft was employed as a carrier of Kh-69 missiles. This is a developmental version of the Kh-59 missile unveiled in 1991, and compared to its prototype, the new weapon has gained stealth features (low detectability).

The Kh-69 (Kh-59MK2) missile has an estimated weight of 800 kg, with 300 kg being the warhead's weight. This weapon's advantage is its significant range, reaching up to about 400 km, and above all, stealth features that complicate detection, thus countering the missiles heading towards their target.

Another complication in this case might be the missile's possible flight profile. The missile can move at very low altitudes—around 20-30 metres—making it impossible to detect with radar from a long distance. In terms of usage, this weapon is often compared to British Storm Shadow missiles.

The Kh-69 has a rectangular cross-section, a pair of foldable wings, and four aerodynamic surfaces at the tail in the shape of an X. During flight, it uses satellite navigation, and just before hitting the target, it seeks out the target using an electro-optical sensor.

The Russians' use of this weapon in conjunction with a new combat aircraft might be an attempt to respond to the problem that hit Russian aviation in the spring of 2024, which in a short period lost several Su-34 aircraft (Ukrainian sources say about even ten downed Sukhoi machines, which is most likely an exaggerated number).