(DEFENCE SECURITY ASIA) — Russia has reportedly escalated its deployment of fifth-generation Su-57 “Felon” fighter jets in targeted airstrikes against key locations in Ukraine.
The Russian Aerospace Forces began utilizing the Su-57 fighters in operations against Ukraine in February 2024, with Moscow increasingly launched missile attacks using these aircraft since then.
Military observers note that over the past 30 days, Russia has conducted at least six cruise missile strikes against vital Ukrainian targets using Su-57 fighters.
These aircraft reportedly take off from the Ahtubinsk air base located in Astrakhan Region and commence their missile launches while flying in the airspace over Kursk, Bryansk within Russia, and in the Luhansk region of occupied Ukraine.
Each Russian Su-57s involved in these attacks is accompanied by two Su-35 fighter jets.
For attacks on crucial targets in Ukraine, the Su-57s are equipped with KH-69 stealth cruise missiles.
Russian media states that the KH-69 cruise missile is designed to counter the “Taurus” missiles developed by Germany and the “Storm Shadow/SCALP” missiles developed by Britain and France.
The subsonic KH-69 has been specifically developed for use with the Su-57, fitting into the aircraft’s internal weapon bays.
The use of KH-69 cruise missiles by Russia in Ukraine has been confirmed by experts from the Kyiv Scientific Research Institute of Forensic Expertise under Ukraine’s Ministry of Justice, who have analyzed missile fragments following attacks in February.
Ukrainian authorities also confirm that Russia has employed its Su-57 fighters in an attack on Ukraine’s largest power plant in Trypilska.
In May, intact fragments of a KH-69 cruise missile were discovered in a forest near Kyiv.
On April 11, Russian forces destroyed the Trypilska thermal power plant (TPP) in Kyiv, the largest in the Kyiv region, using a combination of guided missiles and kamikaze drones.
According to a Ukrainian military spokesperson, Russia launched 82 guided missiles and kamikaze drones, including six hypersonic “Kinzhal” missiles, devastating this critical thermal power plant.
The destruction of the Trypilska TPP, which had the largest electricity generating capacity in Ukraine, significantly impacted the electricity supply to much of the capital, Kyiv.
Ukrainian military sources indicate that the Su-57 “Felon” fighters and KH-69 air-to-ground missiles played a critical role in the attack that led to the destruction of the thermal power plant.
Besides the Su-57, the KH-69 missiles can also be launched by Su-34 and Su-35 fighter jets.
These sources note that the attack on the thermal power plant demonstrates that the KH-69 missiles are more dangerous than the hypersonic “Kinzhal” missiles.
A single Su-57 fighter can carry up to four KH-69 air-to-ground missiles in its internal compartments.
According to Ukrainian military sources, the Su-57 fighters launched the KH-69 missiles from approximately 400 km away from the Trypilska TPP, operating within Russian airspace and far from Ukrainian air defense threats.
Once launched, the Su-57 fighters “turn back” to safety within Russian territory.
Ukrainian forces state that the performance of the KH-69 missiles exceeded their previous estimates, indicating a range capability beyond the expected 300 km.
Indeed, the missiles might operate at ranges greater than 400 km if launched while the Su-57 is at its maximum speed of Mach 2.
One of the notable features of the KH-69 missile is its ability to fly at extremely low altitudes—around 20 meters above the ground—to evade detection by enemy air defense radars.
The flight altitude of the KH-69 at 20 meters is even lower than that of the KH-101, which has similar flight characteristics.
“The combined use of stealth Su-57 fighters with low-flying KH-69 air-to-ground missiles represents a formidable challenge for Ukraine, which struggles to counter these Russian attacks,” according to Russian military analysts. — DSA