SBU drones strike Russian Su-35 and Su-34 jets at Khanskaya airfield in Adygea

Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) announced on October 4 that Ukrainian drones hit two Russian warplanes and an ammunition depot at the Khanskaya military airfield, in the Republic of Adygea in Russia, as The Kyiv Independent reports.

The operation was carried out by the SBU’s special Alpha unit: a Su-35 multirole fighter jet and a Su-34 bomber were hit, according to the Ukrainian media.

The airfield is located about 500 kilometres (310 miles) from Ukrainian territory. According to the SBU, both aircraft are carriers of guided bombs, which Russia uses extensively along the front line and against Ukrainian cities.

The SBU estimates the export value of a Su-35 at around $100 million and of a Su-34 at around $50 million. The exact extent of the damage could not be independently verified.

The attack took place during the night of October 4 and the Russian side has not confirmed the damage. The Russian Defence Ministry claimed (unverified claim) that air defences shot down 559 Ukrainian drones between 20:00 on October 3 and 08:00 on October 4, with drones also detected over Adygea.