Ukrainian air force strikes a blow to Russia in weekend siege, four aircraft destroyed
On Saturday, 17 February, the Ukrainian Air Force Command announced that three enemy aircraft had been shot down on the eastern front. These were two Su-34 bombers and the Su-35 fighter, which is currently the most sophisticated of the Russian military aircraft produced on a serial basis. The invaders' losses, however, did not stop there, as another downing of a Su-34 bomber was confirmed on the morning of Sunday, 18 February.
Interestingly, three Russian aircraft were almost synchronously destroyed due to the Ukrainians' Saturday attack. The Su-34 bombers were likely in the process of completing another mission at the point, with the Su-35 fighter providing support.
The Russians have lost four more planes
The weaponry used by the Ukrainians was not disclosed. Nevertheless, the Defence Express portal conjectured that the Patriot system could have been used, armed with GEM-T missiles, which have a striking range of up to 160 km (rounded to 100 miles) for aerial targets. Earlier confirmations had shown that Kyiv had received this type of support, inflicting other significant losses on the Russians - for example, an A-50 Beriev early warning aircraft was shot down, and a flying command post, an Il-22M1 aircraft, was damaged.
Footage of Su-34 downing
Almost since the start of the ongoing war, Su-34 bombers have served as a substantial issue for the Ukrainians. Thanks in part to these machines, the Russians have managed to retain air superiority and have often been able to carry out attacks on the positions of the defending army.
There is a recording circulating on social media showcasing the moment when one of the Russian Su-34 bombers was hit.
These units have a length of over 75 feet and can bear a weaponry load of up to 8.8 tonnes across twelve under-wing and under-fuselage hardpoints. They often carry KAB air bombs (correctable air bombs), which can weigh as much as 1500 kg, though those used in Ukraine are typically smaller, around 500 kg or rounded off to 1,100 pounds).
Two AL-31F M1 engines allow these aircraft to reach speeds of up to 1,900 km/h or roughly 1,180 mph. The Su-34's maximum range is 4,000 km or around 2,485 miles, and its maximum altitude is up to 17,000 km, equivalent to roughly 10,564 miles. By default, these Russian aircraft are equipped with a 30 mm air gun.
