Ukraine’s attack on Marinovka air base, which was conducted nearly 1,000 kilometers from the front lines, further demonstrates the country’s extended strike capabilities.
Overnight on June 28, Ukraine’s Special Operations Forces launched a long-range drone strike against Russia’s Marinovka air base in Volgograd Oblast. The strike on the air base, located about 900 kilometers from Ukraine’s border, signaled a strategic shift by Ukraine, which has begun to prioritize targets deep within Russian territory. The drone strike struck four Su-34 fighter bombers, destroying two. Additionally, a fire broke out in the technical and operational section, where aircraft are maintained, further damaging the infrastructure and compromising the airfield’s operational readiness.
The attack, which was conducted nearly 1,000 kilometers from the front lines, further demonstrates Ukraine’s extended strike capabilities. The psychological and political impact of Ukraine’s ability to strike a rear-area base should be damaging to Russia; the insecurity of a rear-area base, so far from the front, should shake Russia’s sense of security, while also giving Ukraine a morale boost.
The Marinovka strike echoes Ukraine’s Operation Spiderweb, conducted on June 1, which targeted multiple Russian airbases simultaneously using long-range drones. Ukraine carried out an earlier attack on Marinovka in August 2024, in which its drones and missiles managed to strike bomb and fuel warehouses, causing fires, detonations, and equipment losses.
The destruction of four Su-34 “Fullback” fighter bombers is a significant setback to the Russian forces. First flown in 1990, the Su-34 features a distinctive side-by-side two-person cockpit configuration in which the pilot and co-pilot sit directly next to one another. The cockpit layout is also distinct for its roominess—the crew can stand up, eat meals, and rest, which is an exceedingly rare configuration for a fighter-bomber aircraft. Further enhancing crew convenience are ejection seats and an armored tub (similar to those found in the A-10 Warthog), which improve crew survivability.
The Su-34 is equipped with the Leninist V004 phased-array radar for ground targeting and air combat, terrain-following radar and digital mapping for low-level penetration, and advanced electronic countermeasures. All of this gear is used to facilitate the deployment of various weapons systems, including the Kh-29/31/59 cruise missiles, KAB-series precision-guided bombs, and R-73/77 air-to-air missiles. The Su-34 also carries an internal 30-mm GSh-30-1 cannon.
The Russians have used the Su-34 during the Ukraine War to strike Ukrainian troops, logistics, and cities. The Su-34 is capable of launching stand-off munitions from a considerable distance behind the front lines, making the aircraft difficult to counter. The Su-34 can also fire guided air-to-surface cruise missiles, like the Kh-31/59, making the aircraft especially dangerous to Ukrainian forces and infrastructure.
The four damaged/destroyed Su-34s at Marinovka are hardly the first Su-34 casualties during the war. Russia is estimated to have lost more than 50 Su-34s since the start of the conflict. The losses have occurred both in air-to-air combat and via air base strikes. The non-stealth Su-34 is also vulnerable to MANPADS and Patriot/Pantsir systems, making front-line duty hazardous. Russia is increasing Su-34 production; however, to replace the losses, those production efforts have been hampered due to sanctions and parts shortages—a reality that the Marinovka strike will exacerbate.
About the Author: Harrison Kass
Harrison Kass is a Senior Defense and National Security Writer at The National Interest. Kass is an attorney and former political candidate who joined the US Air Force as a pilot trainee before being medically discharged. He focuses on military strategy, aerospace, and global security affairs. He holds a JD from the University of Oregon and a master’s in Global Journalism and International Relations from NYU.
Image: Shutterstock / Andreas Zeitler.
