Ukraine's armed forces have reported striking some of Russia's most advanced combat aircraft at a distance of 1,060 miles inside Russian territory, marking one of the deepest drone attacks of the war. According to Kyiv military sources, drones successfully targeted Su-57 stealth fighters and Su-34 bombers at Shagol airbase in the Chelyabinsk region on 25 April. Ukraine is still assessing the extent of the damage inflicted.
High-Value Targets
Each Su-57 is valued at approximately £30 million, while the Su-34 is worth around £27 million. If confirmed, this would be the first time Ukraine has struck Russia's most modern warplanes so far beyond the Ural Mountains. Moscow has remained silent on any such losses, with regional governor Alexey Teksler describing the incident only as an 'attempted UAV attack' that was 'thwarted,' insisting there were no casualties or damage. However, Russia has a history of misrepresenting damage to its military equipment.
Local Reports of Explosions
Local social media posts described drones flying over residential areas at dawn, followed by explosions near the Chelyabinsk Higher Military Aviation School of Navigators, a key training hub for Russia's long-range and drone operators. Residents reported windows shaking, car alarms triggering, and smoke rising near the airfield. There were also reports of damage to hangars and training facilities, with hospitals switching to emergency regimes. One resident commented, 'It's really frightening.'
Previous Ukrainian Drone Successes
This attack follows a January operation in which Ukrainian drones reportedly destroyed 15 Russian military aircraft on airfields deep behind front lines, as part of Operation Spiderweb. Dramatic footage showed drones successfully striking planes across five different military bases, though Ukraine has not specified the exact timing. Ukraine's spy service, the SBU, claimed to have taken out 11 Sukhoi and MiG fighter jets, three helicopters, and an Antonov An-26 cargo plane, with a total value exceeding $1 billion. The SBU said its top Alpha unit was behind those strikes.
Among the destroyed aircraft were Su-30SM and Su-34 jets, some of the Kremlin's most important frontline planes, alongside older Su-27 and Su-24 aircraft used to hit Ukraine. Ukraine also destroyed MiG-31 interceptors, a key part of Russia's air defence system often used to launch hypersonic Kinzhal missiles. The destruction of three helicopters—a Mi-8, a Mi-26, and a Mi-28—further hindered Russia's transport and logistics capabilities. The SBU added that fuel and ammunition depots were also destroyed in that operation.
