Ukraine destroys two Russian Su-34 bombers in Volgograd Oblast

Ukraine's navy destroyed two Russian Su-34 bombers with Neptune missiles at the Marinovka military airfield in Russia's Volgograd Oblast, approximately 600 kilometers from the front line, on Thursday. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy later officially confirmed the strike. The Su-34 bombers are among Russia's primary aircraft for dropping guided bombs on Ukrainian cities, according to The Kyiv Independent. Ukrainian intelligence reports that Russia currently has about 140 such bombers, with 43 destroyed and seven damaged since the war began. The Main Intelligence Directorate of Ukraine's Ministry of Defense called the losses significant, noting Russia can produce only 14 to 18 Su-34s annually, meaning replacement would take at least two and a half years. However, Ukraine has not yet succeeded in eliminating Russia's capability for massive air strikes.