Russia deploys new Su-34 bombers, defying NATO and sanctions.
On April 19, 2025, Russia’s United Aircraft Corporation [UAC], a subsidiary of the state-owned Rostec conglomerate, announced the delivery of a new batch of Sukhoi Su-34 fighter-bombers to the Russian Aerospace Forces.
The announcement, made via UAC’s official Telegram channel, underscores Moscow’s ongoing efforts to bolster its frontline aviation amid the protracted war in Ukraine and stringent Western sanctions.
While the exact number of aircraft delivered remains undisclosed, the move signals Russia’s determination to sustain its military operations despite significant battlefield losses and industrial challenges.
This development raises critical questions about the Su-34’s role in modern warfare, Russia’s ability to maintain production under economic constraints, and the broader implications for the conflict in Ukraine and global military dynamics.
The Su-34, known by its NATO reporting name “Fullback,” is a twin-engine, twin-seat, all-weather supersonic fighter-bomber designed to strike ground and naval targets with precision. First flown in 1990 and officially entering service with the Russian Air Force in 2014, the aircraft was developed by the Sukhoi Design Bureau as a derivative of the Su-27 Flanker air superiority fighter.
Its primary mission is tactical bombing, interdiction, and aerial reconnaissance, capable of operating in hostile environments with active electronic warfare and air defenses. The Su-34’s distinctive side-by-side cockpit, armored to withstand small-arms fire, allows its two-person crew—a pilot and a weapons systems officer—to coordinate complex missions effectively.
With a maximum speed of approximately 1,900 kilometers per hour [Mach 1.8] and a combat radius of 600 to 1,100 kilometers depending on payload, the aircraft can carry up to 8 tons of ordnance, including air-to-ground missiles, precision-guided bombs, and the recently adopted ODAB-500 thermobaric bombs equipped with UMPK glide kits for enhanced accuracy.
Its Khibiny electronic countermeasures suite and multi-mode radar provide robust defense against enemy air defenses, while its compatibility with advanced munitions like the Kinzhal hypersonic missile underscores its strategic value.
Compared to its Western counterparts, such as the U.S. Air Force’s Boeing F-15E Strike Eagle, the Su-34 offers similar multirole capabilities but lags in the integration of modern precision-guided munitions, a gap exacerbated by sanctions limiting Russia’s access to cutting-edge electronics.
In Ukraine, the Su-34 has become a cornerstone of Russia’s air campaign, tasked with delivering high-precision strikes against military infrastructure, command posts, and fortified positions. Its ability to deploy glide bombs, such as the FAB-500 with UMPK kits, allows Russian forces to engage targets from standoff distances, reducing exposure to Ukraine’s layered air defense network.
These bombs retrofitted with guidance systems, have extended the Su-34’s reach, enabling strikes from up to 40 miles away, a critical adaptation given the threat posed by Western-supplied systems like the U.S.-made Patriot and NASAMS.
However, the aircraft’s operational record is marred by significant losses. According to open-source intelligence tracker Oryx, as of February 2025, Russia has lost at least 36 Su-34s—29 in combat, four in non-combat incidents, and four damaged—representing roughly a quarter of its pre-war fleet of approximately 140 aircraft.
Ukrainian forces have employed a combination of Soviet-era systems like the S-300 and Buk-M1, alongside modern Western platforms, to target Su-34s, particularly when they operate at low to medium altitudes. High-profile incidents, such as the downing of three Su-34s in a single day in December 2023, reportedly by a Patriot system, highlight the aircraft’s vulnerability to advanced air defenses.
The Su-34’s operational challenges reflect broader issues within Russia’s air strategy. Early in the Ukraine conflict, Moscow anticipated rapid air superiority, deploying Su-34s alongside other platforms like the Su-25 and Su-35 to dominate the skies. However, Ukraine’s unexpectedly resilient air defenses, bolstered by Western support, forced Russian aircraft to adopt standoff tactics, reducing their effectiveness.
A 2022 Forbes analysis noted that Russian doctrine, which treats aircraft as extensions of ground forces akin to “flying artillery,” limits the Su-34’s flexibility compared to Western air forces that prioritize independent air campaigns and precision strikes. The lack of sufficient precision-guided munitions, a problem compounded by sanctions, has further hampered the Su-34’s performance.
Reports from 2022 revealed makeshift solutions, such as GPS receivers taped to cockpits due to unreliable navigation systems, underscoring technological shortcomings. Despite these setbacks, the Su-34 remains a potent asset when equipped with modern munitions, as evidenced by its role in targeting Ukrainian positions with thermobaric bombs, which create devastating blast waves capable of destroying fortified structures.
The delivery of new Su-34s is a testament to Russia’s efforts to replenish its depleted fleet, but it also highlights the strain on its defense industry. The Novosibirsk Aircraft Production Association Plant, named after V.P. Chkalov, has been the primary facility for Su-34 production, delivering small batches—typically two to four aircraft—multiple times a year.
UAC’s claim that production has “more than doubled” over the past two years suggests a significant ramp-up, with estimates indicating 10 Su-34s delivered in 2022, six in 2023, and at least four in the first half of 2024.
Yuri Slyusar, UAC’s General Director, emphasized the plant’s role in meeting state defense orders, stating, “The Novosibirsk plant is confidently performing the tasks assigned to it. The workers at the plant understand how important our technology is today.”
Yet, Western sanctions, imposed in 2014 and tightened after Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, have restricted access to critical components like microelectronics and advanced sensors. Analysts speculate that Russia may be relying on Chinese suppliers or older technologies to sustain production, potentially compromising the Su-34’s capabilities.
A 2023 report from the Wavell Room noted that while Russia’s aerospace industry has adapted to sanctions, it struggles to match the production rates of Western manufacturers like Lockheed Martin, which delivered 170 F-35s in 2022 alone.
The human cost of sustaining Russia’s air campaign is equally significant. The loss of experienced pilots, a resource harder to replace than aircraft, has strained the Russian Aerospace Forces.
A 2022 study by the Royal United Services Institute in London warned that pilot shortages could limit Russia’s ability to conduct complex missions, a problem exacerbated by the intense sortie rates early in the conflict. Training new pilots for the Su-34, which requires mastery of its advanced systems and tandem cockpit operations, is a time-intensive process.
Meanwhile, the Novosibirsk plant’s push to expand production has led to plans for hiring over 1,000 new workers in 2024, signaling both ambition and pressure on Russia’s industrial workforce. These efforts reflect Moscow’s broader strategy to maintain its military posture despite economic isolation, but the sustainability of this approach remains uncertain.
Geopolitically, the Su-34 delivery sends mixed signals. On one hand, it reinforces Russia’s commitment to its “special military operation” in Ukraine, countering narratives of a weakening air force. Vladimir Artyakov, Rostec’s First Deputy General Director, described the Su-34 as “the best in its class,” a claim aimed at domestic audiences and potential export markets like Algeria, which has ordered 14 Su-34s.
On the other hand, the delivery coincides with Ukraine’s integration of Western-supplied F-16 fighters, confirmed by President Volodymyr Zelensky in March 2025. These fourth-generation jets, provided by NATO countries like the Netherlands and Denmark, pose a new challenge to Russian air operations, potentially offsetting the Su-34’s advantages.
Ukraine’s air defenses, already a formidable obstacle, are expected to grow stronger with additional Patriot systems and trained F-16 pilots, raising the stakes for Russian crews. The Institute for the Study of War noted in March 2024 that even small aircraft losses have a “significant knock-on effect” for Russia, suggesting that the Su-34’s role will remain high-risk.
Historically, the Su-34’s development mirrors Russia’s post-Soviet struggle to modernize its military. Conceived in the 1980s to replace the aging Su-24, the program faced delays due to the Soviet Union’s collapse and subsequent economic turmoil. Revived in the early 2000s, the Su-34 saw limited action in the 2008 Russo-Georgian War before its formal adoption.
Its protracted development reflects the challenges of balancing ambitious designs with budgetary constraints, a dynamic that persists today. The aircraft’s reliance on glide bombs and hypersonic missiles represents an evolution from its original role, adapting to the realities of modern warfare where air defenses dominate.
Yet, comparisons with the F-15E or even the F-35 highlight gaps in Russia’s technological ecosystem, particularly in stealth and networked warfare capabilities.
The delivery of new Su-34s is a snapshot of Russia’s military resilience and its limitations. It demonstrates Moscow’s ability to adapt under pressure, producing advanced aircraft despite sanctions and battlefield attrition.
However, the Su-34’s effectiveness hinges on Russia’s capacity to address systemic issues—pilot training, technological dependencies, and economic constraints. For the United States and its allies, this development underscores the need to sustain support for Ukraine, particularly in air defense and fighter capabilities, to counter Russia’s air campaign.
The broader question is whether Russia can maintain this pace without sacrificing quality or diverting resources from other critical programs, such as the Su-57 stealth fighter. As the war in Ukraine grinds on, the Su-34 will remain a symbol of Russia’s determination, but also a reminder of the high costs of prolonged conflict.
Can Moscow’s aerospace industry outpace the relentless toll of war, or will the Su-34’s gains be overshadowed by mounting losses and global isolation?