Ukraine Strikes Russia’s Su-57 Stealth Jets Deep Inside Russian Territory
Reflecto News | Ukraine-Russia War | Long-Range Strikes
Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems Forces have successfully struck several advanced Russian Su-57 fighter jets and a Su-34 fighter-bomber at an airfield deep inside Russia, a significant long-range operation that demonstrates Kyiv’s growing reach and capability to hit high-value assets far from the front line.
The strategic strike targeted the Shagol airfield in Russia’s Chelyabinsk region on April 25, 2026 — approximately 1,700 kilometers from the Ukrainian border . Ukraine’s General Staff confirmed that multiple Russian aircraft were hit, with damage to both Su-57 stealth fighters and one Su-34 bomber still being assessed .
The Target: Shagol Airfield in the Russian Urals
Shagol airfield is located in the Chelyabinsk region, a major industrial and military hub in Russia’s southern Urals. The base lies nearly 1,700 km from Ukraine’s eastern border — deeper than any previous confirmed Ukrainian drone strike on Russian territory .
The base serves as an important staging point for Russian military aviation, including long-range bombers and fighter aircraft. It houses Russia’s most advanced combat aircraft, including the Su-57 “Felon” fifth-generation stealth fighter, which Moscow has been deploying in limited numbers to strike Ukrainian infrastructure .
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Target Location | Shagol airfield, Chelyabinsk region, Russia |
| Distance from Ukraine | ~1,700 km (approx. 1,060 miles) |
| Strike Date | April 25, 2026 |
| Assets Hit | Several Su-57 jets, one Su-34 bomber |
| Damage Status | Being assessed |
| Responsible Unit | Unmanned Systems Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine |
Source: General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine
The Aircraft Hit: Su-57 ‘Felon’ and Su-34 ‘Fullback’
The Su-57 “Felon” is Russia’s most advanced fighter jet and its only operational fifth-generation combat aircraft.
Designed with stealth shaping, advanced avionics, and super-maneuverability, the Su-57 is intended to compete with Western aircraft like the U.S. F-35 . Moscow has promoted the jet as the centerpiece of its modernized air power, though production has remained limited.
Russia has used the Su-57 during the war in Ukraine primarily in a standoff capacity — launching cruise missiles from positions well inside Russian airspace where Ukrainian air defenses cannot reach. Keeping these expensive, irreplaceable assets out of harm’s way has been central to how Moscow has employed the platform .
The Su-34 “Fullback” is a twin-seat, twin-engine supersonic fighter-bomber designed for precision ground attack and anti-ship missions. Russia has used Su-34s extensively throughout the war to deliver guided and unguided munitions against Ukrainian targets. The fleet has absorbed significant losses from Ukrainian air defenses and long-range strikes over the course of the conflict .
Strategic Significance: Ukraine’s Deepening Reach
The strike at Shagol represents a new threshold in Ukraine’s demonstrated long-range strike capability. Chelyabinsk — a major industrial city east of the Ural Mountains, closer to Kazakhstan than to Ukraine — is far beyond what many military analysts would have projected for Ukrainian unmanned systems operating from Ukrainian-controlled territory .
This distance suggests that Ukraine has developed or deployed drone systems with extended range and navigational endurance, capable of reaching strategic targets deep inside Russian territory. Ukrainian officials have previously confirmed that domestically produced drones, including the Liutyi model, are capable of flying over 1,000 kilometers . The Shagol strike extends that demonstrated capability significantly.
Reaching Shagol is symbolically and operationally important for several reasons :
- Russian safe havens no longer safe: Russia has moved much of its air force farther from the Ukrainian border in response to earlier Ukrainian strikes. Chelyabinsk was assumed to be safely distant. This strike proves otherwise .
- Defense industrial vulnerability: Chelyabinsk itself is a major defense industrial city, home to tank production and other heavy military manufacturing. A strike reaching that region sends a message about the vulnerability of Russia’s war industries.
- Pressure on Russian air operations: If rear-area bases are no longer safe, Russia may be forced to disperse its air assets even further, complicating maintenance, fuel logistics, and sortie generation.
Ukrainian military officials framed the strike as part of ongoing efforts to “reduce the enemy’s ability to strike civilian targets on Ukrainian territory” . The General Staff’s statement concluded with a pointed message: “More to follow” .
Open-Source Confirmation and Visual Evidence
Satellite imagery analysts have independently confirmed the strike and provided visual evidence of damage to aircraft at Shagol.
The Telegram channel Exilenova+ published satellite imagery comparing the airfield before and after the strike, showing apparent damage to aircraft parking areas . Analysts examining the images reported that two Su-57s and one Su-34 appear to have been damaged in the attack.
Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems Forces used drone systems to carry out the strike, though Kyiv has not specified the exact model or method . Reports suggest that Ukrainian-made “Liutyi” long-range drones may have been involved, though confirmation is pending .
Context: Ukraine’s Campaign Against Russian Air Power
The Shagol strike is not an isolated incident. Ukraine has been systematically targeting Russian military aviation assets deep inside Russian territory for months, particularly after Russia moved its aircraft further from the front to protect them from Ukrainian air defenses.
Previous Long-Range Strikes
| Date | Target | Details |
|---|---|---|
| June 2024 | Akhtubinsk airfield, Astrakhan | First confirmed Su-57 hit (589 km from front line) |
| June 1, 2025 | Multiple Russian air bases | Operation Spiderweb — reportedly damaged 41 aircraft |
| August 2025 | Saky airfield, Crimea | SBU drones struck five fighter jets |
These strikes, combined with continued Ukrainian air defense successes, have forced Russia to reconsider how and where it deploys its most valuable aircraft. The Shagol strike suggests that even bases as far east as the Urals are now within Ukrainian reach .
Russia’s Use of Su-57s in the War
The Su-57’s role in the war has evolved since 2025. According to monitoring group Sonyashnyk, Russia has moved beyond cautious, limited deployment of the Su-57 and is now integrating the platform into regular combat missions .
Common tactical formations reportedly involve:
- Su-57 providing high-altitude protection using R-77M long-range air-to-air missiles
- Accompanying aircraft executing precision strikes with Kh-69 cruise missiles
- Targeting Ukrainian infrastructure while operating from standoff ranges inside Russian territory
Open-source data also suggests the introduction of a new specialized munition — possibly designated Su-71K — described as a hybrid system combining characteristics of both a drone and a missile, designed with advanced radar-evasion capabilities .
Casualties and Damage Assessment
Full damage assessment from the Shagol strike is still ongoing. Ukraine’s General Staff has stated that “several” Su-57 jets were hit, along with one Su-34 . The Kyiv Independent reported that at least two fighter jets were damaged .
The financial and operational impact could be significant. Each Su-57 is estimated to cost tens of millions of dollars. The Su-57 fleet is small enough that each aircraft lost or materially damaged represents a meaningful reduction in Russia’s advanced aviation capability .
What Comes Next
Ukraine has signaled that strikes on Russian rear-area bases will continue. The General Staff’s “More to follow” statement indicates that the campaign against Russian military aviation deep inside Russia is ongoing and expected to expand (citation 2).
Russia may be forced to further disperse its air assets or invest in hardened aircraft shelters at bases previously considered safe. Neither option is cost-free or guarantees asset protection from Ukraine’s evolving long-range strike capabilities.
For Ukrainian forces, the successful strike at 1,700 km range provides operational proof that their long-range drone systems can reach targets previously thought out of range. This opens new strategic options for degrading Russian military capabilities far from the front – including fuel depots, command centers, ammunition storage, and logistics hubs.
The Shagol strike demonstrates that Russia’s rear areas – once assumed safe – are now within Ukraine’s reach. For the Russian Aerospace Forces, nowhere is entirely safe anymore.
📋 Key Takeaways for Reflecto News Readers
| Aspect | Summary |
|---|---|
| Target | Shagol airfield, Chelyabinsk region, Russia |
| Date of Strike | April 25, 2026 |
| Distance from Ukraine | Approximately 1,700 km (over 1,050 miles) |
| Aircraft Hit | Several Su-57 “Felon” stealth fighters, one Su-34 “Fullback” bomber |
| Responsible Unit | Unmanned Systems Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine |
| Verification | Satellite imagery confirms damage to aircraft |
| Damage Status | Under assessment |
| Strategic Significance | Deepest Ukrainian strike on Russian territory to date; rear-area bases no longer safe |
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