Ukraine's navy says Neptune missiles hit six Su-34M jets at Russian airbase
Ukraine's navy says it struck the Borisoglebsk military airfield in Russia's Voronezh Oblast overnight, reporting a secondary detonation and fire on the site. Russia had not commented on the strike, and the claim could not yet be independently confirmed.
The strike
Ukraine's navy said it struck the Borisoglebsk military airfield in Voronezh Oblast overnight, using Neptune missiles. According to newsORF, the airfield lies more than 340 kilometres from Ukrainian-controlled territory. The navy said the strike hit six Su-34M multirole fighter-bombers and technical equipment used to support flight operations. It also reported repeated detonations and a fire on the airfield grounds. The announcement was posted on social media on the morning of Thursday, 15 October.
Reports differ on the outcome. Some describe the six aircraft as destroyed, while others use the wording hit or damaged.
- Ukrainian Navy says Neptune missiles struck the Borisoglebsk airfield
- Navy reports six Su-34M hit; governor reports 33 drones shot down
Unverified evidence and Russian response
Unverified photos of fires circulated on social media during the night. Russian military bloggers confirmed the fire and damage, according to newsORF. Monitoring channels Exilenova+ and Supernova+ had reported an attack on the airfield before the navy's announcement. Voronezh Governor Oleksandr Gusev said in the morning that 33 drones and "several jet aerial targets" had been shot down, but he did not mention any missile strike on the airfield. Russia had not commented on the strike or its consequences at the time of reporting.
The navy framed the strike as a blow to Russian tactical aviation:
Hitting the enemy's Su-34M aircraft significantly weakens the enemy's aviation potential and reduces the intensity of tactical aviation use on the relevant sectors of the front.
The Su-34M and its role
The navy says the Su-34M can carry several guided and unguided bombs as well as missiles at once. It described the aircraft as one of Russia's key means of launching guided bomb strikes on Ukrainian positions and frontline settlements. newsORF reports that Su-34 fighter-bombers drop glide bombs from high altitude, dozens of kilometres from enemy air defences. Ukrainian figures cited by newsORF put Russia's glide bomb use at an average of 200 per day. HotNews.ro notes that the Su-34M is a two-seat variant whose deliveries began in 2022, and that it belongs to the 4+ generation rather than the fifth.
Neptune missile background
The Neptune missile was developed by the Kyiv design bureau Luch and was designed primarily against surface ships. It is powered by a turbojet engine and flies low above the water, using a guidance system built for precise attacks on maritime targets. In April 2022, two Neptune missiles hit the Russian missile cruiser Moskva, flagship of the Black Sea Fleet. The damaged ship sank while under tow. Ukraine is also developing a version for ground targets, which would extend the missile's reach deeper into Russian territory.