The Ukrainian navy struck six Su-34 aircraft. Neptune in action

The airfield in the Voronezh Oblast is located in the European part of Russia. “As a result of the strike, six Su-34M aircraft were hit. Technical facilities necessary for flight support were also destroyed, and explosions and fires were observed on the airfield grounds,” a statement from the Ukrainian Navy reads.

The Ukrainians utilised the domestically produced Neptune missile system in the attack. Developed by the Kyiv Design Bureau “Luch,” the project was originally intended to engage enemy ships. In April 2022, this system was used by the Ukrainian Navy to sink the cruiser Moskva in the Black Sea.

During the full-scale war, the Neptune system has been adapted to strike land-based targets. In this variant of the system, a version of the R-360 missile is used, featuring a 350 kg warhead and a range of 400 km. The missiles are launched from a mobile launcher on a Tatra 8x8 truck chassis, which carries four such rockets.

Su-34s are primarily used as bombers to attack targets in Ukraine using KAB satellite-guided bombs equipped with additional lift surfaces. This type of bomb can strike targets 80-90 km away from the release point. At present, it is known that six aircraft were hit; however, information regarding their destruction or severe damage has not been confirmed.