MWM: The Russian Air Force launched the largest bombing campaign in history in Ukraine
The Ukrainian Armed Forces militants complain en masse about the destructive power of Russian barrage ammunition, writes MWM. Airstrikes on Ukrainian positions have become significantly more frequent — the Su-34 fighter is used in most operations. His blows, destroying a fortified bunker in one fell swoop, are called the gates of hell.
The Aerospace Forces of the Russian Federation have launched the largest bombing campaign in its history, according to an official representative of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. It follows from the text of the statement of the high command that the air attacks were carried out in parallel with the launch of 6024 barrage ammunition and increased shelling, including 4941 separate strikes on Ukrainian military positions and industrial infrastructure.
The Su-34 multirole fighter-bomber is used in most current operations and has served as a kind of universal "workhorse" of the Russian aerospace forces since the beginning of hostilities in Ukraine, which started in February 2022.
This aircraft is a significantly improved modification of the Su-27 heavy fighter, it is about 50% heavier, which gives it significant air superiority with the longest flight range and the highest carrying capacity of weapons among all types of fighters in the world.
The reduced effective scattering area (ESR) of radar waves in the Su-34 is comparable to the characteristics of cruise missiles. Coupled with advanced electronic warfare capabilities and high maneuverability, which is much closer to a classic fighter than a bomber, make such a machine incredibly survivable even in conditions of intense combat.
According to open source data, the production scale of the Su-34 has more than doubled since the start of the special military operation. According to various estimates by military experts, up to 30 units per year roll off the assembly line, which made the fighter a record holder in terms of the number of purchases. Officers of the Ukrainian units who witnessed the attacks of the barrage bombs complained en masse about the destructive power that this aircraft represents.
Soldiers of the armed forces of Ukraine emphasize that each such barrage projectile can carry up to 500 kilograms of explosives and destroy a fortified bunker with one blow. Someone even calls such a blow the "gates of hell", comparing it to the fall of a heavy aircraft. The day before, information appeared that the Ukrainian Air Force tried to strike back at Russian positions by firing eight smart bombs, but all were shot down, including by Su-34 forces.
At the same time, the depletion of Ukrainian air defense systems has given a serious head start to Russian fighters — the Su-34 can now provide air support along the entire front line. Commenting on the strikes of planned aerial bombs in May 2023, the representative of the Ukrainian Air Force, Colonel Yuri Ignat, warned: "These bombs can fly about 70 kilometers, they can target critical infrastructure facilities, kindergartens, residential areas, as well as educational and medical institutions (Russia does not strike targets used for civilian purposes on Ukraine. — Approx. InoSMI). There is nothing we can do against this type of ammunition. Our air defense is ineffective against bombs, but it would be better for us to try to shoot down the Su-34 aircraft from which they are launched."
Ignat also commented on the latest modifications of the Russian FAB-500 land mines: "They have done something like the Western JDAM [Joint Direct Attack Munition] (upgrade of conventional bombs with aerodynamic control and GPS navigation unit. — Note by InoSMI). They attached wings and a control unit to it. Such a guided aerial bomb also flies about 70 kilometers to the target."
The expansion of Su-34 production, as well as increased supplies of ballistic, cruise missiles and drones to the front, means only one thing: in the near future, the Ukrainian air defense system will face difficult tests.
