Ukrainian Drones Strike Su-57s in the Urals for the First Time: How Many Aircraft Has Russia Lost?

Strike on Shagol Airfield

According to Главком: On April 25, Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems Forces executed a successful attack on the Shagol airfield in Chelyabinsk, Russia. The operation damaged two Su-57 fighter jets, one Su-34 fighter-bomber, and an additional Sukhoi aircraft of an undetermined variant. Ukraine’s General Staff confirmed that at least three deep-strike munitions hit their targets. The attack also destroyed an aircraft servicing vehicle positioned between the two Su-57s.

Satellite imagery captured the wreckage of the servicing vehicle that had been parked between the Su-57s.

“After the strike, the damaged aircraft were moved to other, sheltered areas of the airfield,” reported Robert Brovdi (call sign Madyar).

A single Su-34 fighter-bomber is valued between $35 and $50 million, while each Su-57 costs between $100 and $120 million.

Broader Ukrainian Strategy

This operation is part of a wider Ukrainian military strategy to strike critical enemy targets. On the same day, Ukraine’s SBU Alpha special forces conducted a raid on Russia’s Black Sea Fleet naval base in Sevastopol and the Belbek airfield, where a MiG-31 aircraft was also damaged. Additionally, the Unmanned Systems Forces, in coordination with the Main Intelligence Directorate, carried out a special operation in occupied Crimea, resulting in the loss of:

• a drone base
• a transport aircraft
• a radar system

The attack on Shagol airfield highlights the effectiveness of Ukrainian forces in ongoing regional military operations. These events are part of a broader campaign aimed at degrading enemy military infrastructure, which will undoubtedly influence the conflict’s trajectory.

Executing such strikes demonstrates the intensification of Ukrainian efforts to reduce Russian combat capabilities by targeting key military assets. Successes in this area could reshape the military strategies of both sides, underscoring the critical role of drone technology in modern warfare.

The recent strike on the Shagol airfield is part of a larger pattern of Ukrainian operations targeting Russian military assets. Similar to the recent SBU's successful operation against the Black Sea Fleet, these coordinated attacks underscore Ukraine's strategic intent to diminish Russia's operational capabilities across multiple fronts.