Russia stops using guided bombs in Kherson region after Su-34 aircraft downed

Operational Command South’s spokesperson Natalia Humeniuk reported this.

"The work on aviation in our area of responsibility was very important and indicative, because we remember that Russia used tactical aviation very powerfully, using it towards the line of contact with the dropping of guided bombs both on the settlements of the right bank and later on the bridgehead of the left bank. In total, we can say that there were more than 330 guided bombs dropped by tactical aircraft in December alone," said Humeniuk at the briefing.

According to her, after December 22, when Russian aircraft were destroyed in the Kherson sector, "the enemy seriously thought about what to do and how to counteract.”

"Since December 22, we have not recorded a single launch of guided bombs in our area of responsibility. Not only on land, but also in the Black Sea," she added.

Ukraine downs three Russian Su-34 fighter-bomber aircraft 

On December 22, the Ukrainian military shot down three Russian Su-34 fighter-bombers in the southern direction. The loss of the aircraft was confirmed by the pro-Russian Fighterbomber channel.

Valerii Romanenko, a leading researcher at the State Aviation Museum, also believes that the Russian warplanes were hit by Patriot or SAMP/T systems, which have a range of 160 km and 150 km for aerodynamic targets.

Russian experts say that the Su-34s were most likely shot down by a Patriot air defense system that was deployed closer to the front, in the Kherson region.

The publication notes that the fighters dropped guided bombs on Ukrainian positions. These bombs can fly up to 50 kilometers when launched from a high altitude. At the same time, the bomber drops them in its rear and does not enter the Russian medium-range air defense zone.

Military analyst Yan Matveev told the Defense Ministry that the Su-34s were most likely shot down by a US Patriot SAM that was deployed closer to the front, in the Kherson region.

"Patriot is the most long-range air defense system that Ukraine has. It was able to reach Russian planes 30-40 kilometers behind the front line, where they used to feel completely safe. According to official data, Ukraine received three systems: one from the United States and two from Germany. One covers Kyiv, the other covers Odesa, and it was probably the one that shot down the Russian Su-24 bomber near Zmiinyi Island in early December. And the third complex could be moved to the front to prevent unpunished bombing.”

The publication notes that this is the largest single loss of Russian aircraft in the war since May 2023, when two Su-34s and two Mi-8 helicopters were shot down in the Bryansk region. Russia lost more aircraft only during the Prigozhin mutiny.