Ukraine targets Russian Su-34 jets in rare long-range strike
Shafaq News – Kyiv/ Moscow
Ukraine struck four Russian Su-34 fighter-bombers at Marinovka airbase in southwestern Russia over the weekend, in one of Kyiv's deepest reported air attacks since the start of the war.
The airbase, located near Volgograd and roughly 900 kilometers from Ukrainian-held territory, was targeted in a long-range operation confirmed by Ukraine's armed forces. Kyiv did not specify the weapon system used.
Ukraine's air force also reported it intercepted 359 out of 363 drones and six of eight missiles launched during an overnight Russian barrage, underscoring the continuing intensity of aerial combat between the two sides.
Military officials in Kyiv claimed Russia has lost over 100,000 personnel since the full-scale invasion began on February 24, 2022, alongside 11,000 tanks and more than 42,500 drones.
"Ability is what you're capable of doing. Motivation determines what you do. Attitude determines how well you do it."Lou HoltzThe combat losses of the enemy from February 24, 2022 to June 28, 2025. pic.twitter.com/Lc9WD7jB8w
— Defense of Ukraine (@DefenceU) June 28, 2025
Meanwhile, Russia's state-run TASS news agency announced that Russian forces had captured the village of Nova Kruhlyakivka in Ukraine's eastern Kharkiv region. The report has not been independently verified.
A separate Russian strike damaged a major power facility in Ukraine's southern Kherson province, triggering blackouts across several towns, according to regional governor Oleksandr Prokudin.
Russia's Western Group of Forces also announced that its troops had eliminated more than 210 Ukrainian soldiers in recent operations. The unit's press chief, Ivan Bigma, said air defense systems shot down 14 Ukrainian drones and destroyed multiple armored vehicles.
Officials in Russia's Kursk region, near the Ukrainian border, said a Ukrainian drone attack injured a Chinese war correspondent from Phoenix TV, a state-run broadcaster. Russian authorities urged the United Nations to respond, calling the incident a threat to international media.
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