Over three days, Ukrainian Defense Forces successfully shot down five Russian aircraft, including four Su-34 bombers and a multirole Su-30.
On December 22, Ukrainian defenders destroyed three Russian Su-34 aircraft on the southern front. “Brilliantly executed once again, the operation to eliminate the enemy on the approaches to our state… This time, three aircraft on the southern front, something we haven’t seen in a long time. The Su-34 has not been part of our positive statistics for a while,” said Yurii Ihnat, spokesman for the Ukrainian Air Force, on air of a national 24/7 newscast.
The Russians possess dozens of such aircraft and continue their production. These are among the latest platforms in the arsenal of the occupiers, used to launch airstrikes with aviation bombs and missiles. “I believe such a machine can cost at least US$50 million. This is the lowest price; fighters are highly technological,” added Ihnat.
On December 25, anti-aircraft missile units destroyed two more Su-34 aircraft in Donetsk Oblast and a Su-30SM over the Black Sea, as reported by the Ukrainian Air Forces command.
The ability to shoot down Russian fighters is a key aspect for concluding the war, stated Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. “This week, once again, we demonstrated how effective strengthening our air shield is. It’s not just for protecting cities and villages from Russian drones and missiles, but also for frontline operations,” emphasized the president.
Zelenskyy also expressed gratitude to Ukraine’s partners: “The ability to shoot down Russian fighter jets is one of the keys to ending this war to a fair conclusion. I thank all the partners who are already helping us with this and preparing to take the necessary steps to support next year.”
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