Ukraine Says It Shot Down Another Russian “Aerial Terrorist”—$85M Su-35 Fighter Jet

Ukraine’s Air Force confirmed that Ukrainian forces shot down a Russian aircraft, a Russian Su-35 fighter jet, with an estimated cost of up to $85 million.

No additional official details have been released so far. “Good news from the Air Force! Today, we minus one more Russian aerial terrorist!” Ukraine’s Air Force wrote.

The loss of a Su-35 would be a major hit to Russia’s tactical aviation. The aircraft, known by NATO as the Flanker-E, is one of Russia’s most advanced fighter jets in regular service and is far more expensive than the Su-34 fighter-bomber initially mentioned by some monitoring channels.

The Su-35 is a single-seat, twin-engine, 4.5-generation multirole fighter developed from the Soviet-designed Su-27.

Unlike the Su-34, which is primarily a strike aircraft used for bombing ground targets, the Su-35 is built mainly for air superiority, interception, and long-range air combat, while also retaining the ability to strike ground targets.

The aircraft is equipped with thrust-vectoring engines, giving it high maneuverability, and carries a powerful onboard radar designed to detect and track aerial targets at long range. Russia uses Su-35s to escort strike aircraft, challenge Ukrainian aviation, and launch long-range air-to-air missiles.

The Su-35 can carry a wide range of weapons, including R-77 and R-37M air-to-air missiles, as well as air-to-ground missiles and guided bombs. The R-37M, in particular, has made the Su-35 a serious threat to Ukrainian pilots because of its long range.

Russia has used Su-35s extensively throughout its full-scale war against Ukraine. The aircraft has appeared in missions linked to air patrols, missile launches, and support for Russian strike aviation operating near the front line.

The estimated cost of a Su-35 is commonly placed at around $75 million to $85 million, depending on configuration and export terms.

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Category

War in Ukraine

Russia Parks 7 Su-35 Jets at Borisoglebsk Airfield Just Before Ukrainian Drone Strike

Jul 08, 2026 13:35

Russia has widely used Su-34s in its war against Ukraine, including for launching guided bombs and missiles at Ukrainian cities, frontline positions, and civilian infrastructure.

Earlier, a Russian military blogger revealed that Russia’s Ka-52 attack helicopter that crashed in Russia’s Voronezh region on July 2 was likely brought down by friendly fire while responding to a Ukrainian drone attack.

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