Su-35 and Su-34 Down: SBU Strikes Russian Airbase 500 km from Frontline

The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) has carried out a successful special operation, attacking the «Khanskaya» military airbase in the Republic of Adygea. As a result of a nighttime drone strike by SBU's Alpha Special Operations Center, a Su-35 multirole fighter, a Su-34 fighter-bomber, and an aviation ammunition depot were hit. This attack marks another step by Ukrainian special services in systematically destroying Russian military infrastructure deep in the rear.

Operation Details and Destroyed Equipment

The military facility in Adygea is located approximately 500 kilometers from the combat line. Despite the significant distance, Ukrainian drones overcame air defense systems and successfully struck key targets. According to expert estimates, the approximate cost of a Su-35 fighter is about $100 million, and a Su-34 is around $50 million. Both aircraft play a critical role in the war as the primary carriers of heavy guided aerial bombs (KABs), which the Russian army uses daily to strike Ukrainian positions and frontline cities.

Contradictory Data

While Ukrainian sources and SBU reports claim the direct hit and destruction of specific aircraft (Su-35 and Su-34) along with an ammunition depot at the «Khanskaya» airbase, Russian official agencies and pro-war public channels traditionally claim a «successfully repelled attack» and «minor damage from falling debris of downed UAVs.» Independent satellite imagery and detailed monitoring of the fire aftermath at the facility continue to be studied by relevant experts to finally verify the scale of the damage.

Strategic Consequences and Conflict Context

Successful strikes against Russian airbases deep in the rear significantly undermine the capabilities of the Russian Aerospace Forces to support ground operations. The SBU emphasizes that the systematic destruction of enemy aviation and weapons depots is a mirrored response to ongoing strikes against Ukrainian critical infrastructure and peaceful cities, including the capital of Ukraine, whose security remains an absolute priority for the defense forces.