On June 27, 2025, Ukraine launched a successful uncrewed aerial system attack on the Marinovka airfield in Volgograd, russia. The strike almost certainly destroyed at least two russian Su-34 fighter-bomber aircraft, with unconfirmed loss/damage of two additional aircraft. The Marinovka airfield is over 270 km from the Ukrainian border and 440 km from the current front line, the UK Defense Intelligence reports.
Marinovka is one of many russian airfields in daily use for combat operations. It is also used as a fallback location for the dispersal of russian aircraft when other airfields are threatened. The Su-34 aircraft were dispersed to here from the Morozovsk air base following Ukrainian UAS strike in August 2024. Despite these dispersal efforts to protect their aircraft, russian aviation remains vulnerable to Ukrainian UAS attacks.
Read more: Ukrainian Forces Strike russian Airfield in Volgograd Region, Damaging the Su-34 Jets
Over the same weekend, Ukraine also launched successful UAS attacks on helicopter operations based at the Kirovske airfield in Crimea, and an artillery ammunition storage facility in Bryansk, russia.
Russia has now lost more than 30 Su-34 aircraft during the course of the war. The Su-34 fleet is being relied upon to conduct huge amounts of daily sorties launching glide bombs across the frontlines. In total, russia has now lost more than 135 fixed wing aircraft on operations in Ukraine.
As Defense Express previously reported, in a coordinated nighttime operation on June 27, Ukrainian Special Operations Forces, in collaboration with the Security Service of Ukraine and other units, launched a precision strike on the Marinovka airfield located in russia's Volgograd region. The mission aimed to disrupt russia's ability to carry out airstrikes on Ukrainian territory.
Reports indicate that four Su-34 aircraft were damaged in the strike. In addition to targeting the jets, Ukrainian forces also hit the airfield's technical support section, a facility used for maintenance and repair of combat aircraft.
Read more: What’s Left of the Su-34s at Marinovka Airfield: Ukraine’s Drone Strike Confirmed by Satellite Images
