Russian Su-34 Bombers Strike ‘Painful Blows’ On Ukraine; RuMoD Claims Killing Hundreds Of Mercenaries

The Russian Aerospace Forces (RuAF) struck painful blows on Ukrainian forces on November 24 and 25, 2022. 

About the November 24 strike, the RuMoD said, “As a result of high-precision weaponry strikes by the Russian Air Force against three temporary Polish mercenary units near Velikiye Hutora (Kharkiv region), up to 200 militants have been destroyed.

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“In addition, over a hundred mercenaries of the so-called Foreign Legion, as well as 1 tank, 2 armored combat vehicles, and 8 motor vehicles, have been eliminated by Russian air force high-precision weapons near Seversk and Slovyansk (Donetsk People’s Republic).”

An Izvestia report on the incident showed a RuAF Su-34 fighter being armed with a Kh-29 air-to-surface missile (ASM).

The EurAsian Times had earlier reported that Russia relies heavily on its Kh-29 ASM for precision attacks on Ukraine along the frontline, where it dominates the skies.

The Kh-29 is the perfect weapon for attacking visually observed hardened ground targets, such as big railway and highway bridges, industrial installations, concrete runways, aircraft in reinforced concrete shelters, and hardened defensive positions.

There are two variants of the Kh-29 missile – Kh-29L and Kh-29TE. The Kh-29TE missile is equipped with a passive TV guidance system and the Kh-29L – with a semi-active laser guidance system using reflected laser illumination.

The missiles are armed with high explosive penetrating warheads and an impact target sensor. They are powered by a single-mode solid-fuel rocket engine.

Both TV guidance and semi-active laser homing give the missile pinpoint accuracy. Rocket propulsion gives the missile a lot of momentum, aiding in destruction and penetration. Cruise missiles or kamikaze drones, in contrast, lack the accuracy and the destructive power of the Kh-29.

On November 25, 2022, a Russian Su-35S downed a Ukrainian fighter in a look-down shoot-down attack from medium altitudes.

According to the statement released by the RuMoD, “Fighter crews patrol the airspace 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Their task is to cover bombers and attack aircraft, as well as army helicopters, during air strikes against the AFU military facilities and equipment.

“Within one of the sorties, an enemy aircraft was timely detected and destroyed.”

RuMoD released footage showing a Su-35S shooting down a Ukrainian fighter in look-down shoot-down mode from medium altitudes with RVV-SD (R-77) missiles.

https://youtu.be/6HY3qhQBa-E

The Su-35S fired two RVV-SD missiles. Based on the upward trajectory of the missiles after launch, they were fired for long range.

Evidently, the RuAF has adopted tactics that facilitate air dominance without putting their fighters in harm’s way. The absence of Su-35 losses, despite the influx of Western AD missile systems & presence of Ukrainian Buk-M2 and S-300, bear testimony to the success of RuAF tactics.