Russia Turns to Its Rarest Fighter as Ukrainian Deep Strikes Keep Coming

Oct 22, 2026 13:50 Updated Oct 22, 2026 13:51

3 min read

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Vlad Litnarovych

News Writer

Russia has begun using its extremely small fleet of MiG-35 fighters to intercept Ukrainian long-range drones striking targets deep inside Russian territory, according to Defense Express on October 22.

The Russian Aerospace Forces officially have around 86 MiG-29-family aircraft of various versions, but only six MiG-35s—four single-seat and two two-seat aircraft.

Despite their rarity, the newer fighters are now reportedly being used more actively against Ukrainian deep-strike UAVs.

Just six MiG-35s exist

The assessment is based in part on information published by the aviation-focused Soniashnyk OSINT community, which shared an image apparently taken by a Russian pilot from inside a MiG-35 cockpit during what was described as an interception mission against Ukrainian drones.

Defense Express notes that the actual combat readiness of Russia’s much larger MiG-29 fleet remains unclear. There is no reliable public estimate of how many of those older aircraft are currently operational or available for air-defense missions over Russian territory.

That makes the reported deployment of MiG-35s particularly notable. Russia has only six examples of the aircraft, all produced as part of an experimental batch that took five years to complete between 2018 and 2023.

A fighter that never became a real fleet

Russian officials first claimed that MiG-35s had been used in combat against Ukraine in 2023, at a time when the manufacturer was seeking additional Defense Ministry orders.

Those orders never materialized on anything approaching the scale needed to make the aircraft a significant component of Russia’s tactical aviation.

The MiG-35 is an advanced development of the MiG-29. Russian specifications claim roughly 50% greater range than earlier variants and a maximum weapons load of up to 6,500 kilograms across nine hardpoints.

Built for air combat, now hunting Ukrainian drones

The aircraft can carry R-73, R-27, and R-77 air-to-air missiles, giving it several options for intercepting aerial targets. Strike configurations can also include Kh-29, Kh-31, and Kh-38 air-to-surface missiles.

Russian promotional material has portrayed the MiG-35 as a lower-cost alternative to the US F-16 Block 70/72, although Defense Express notes that such comparisons have not been backed by meaningful evidence.

What matters more now is how Moscow is using the handful of aircraft it actually possesses.

Ukraine’s deep strikes stretching Russia’s air defense

Ukrainian long-range drones have repeatedly reached military facilities, oil refineries, data centers, airfields, and other strategic targets hundreds of miles inside Russia, forcing Moscow to dedicate an expanding range of assets to homeland air defense.

The reported use of MiG-35s suggests that the burden is now reaching aircraft Russia possesses only in extremely limited numbers.

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Category

War in Ukraine

One Night, Six Su-34s Hit—More Than Russia’s Entire Known 2026 Supply

Oct 15, 2026 13:50

With just six MiG-35s available, every fighter committed to chasing Ukrainian drones represents a comparatively scarce combat aircraft being diverted to defend Russia’s rear rather than performing other missions.

Earlier, reports emerged that Russia was turning to artificial intelligence developed by its largest bank to help design future aircraft, potentially including fighter jets, as Western sanctions continue to restrict access to engineering software previously used by the country’s aerospace industry.

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