Russian Su-35 Fighters Support Strikes and Locate Air Defence Sites in Kursk

<p >The Russian Air Force has deployed Su-35 ‘4+ generation’ fighters to provide cover for air strikes on Ukrainian forces in the Kursk region, where many of Ukraine’s most elite units have spearheaded a <a href=" >large scale incursion </a>from early August. The Russian Defence Ministry reported regarding the fighter operations: </p><p >"Crews of Russian Aerospace Force Su-35S multi-purpose super-manoeuvrable fighters equipped with thrust vectoring modules provided cover for Aerospace crews near the border in the Kursk Region. While performing their combat missions, crews of the Su-35S multipurpose fighter jets worked to provide cover in the designated area to operations of bomber and ground-attack aircraft, as well as helicopters of the army aviation as they carried out airstrikes on Ukrainian armoured vehicles and servicemen.” </p><p >The reported operations are notably highly similar to those <a href=" >reported </a>to be taking place in Kursk the second week in November, when Su-35s were stated to have “worked to provide air cover in the designated area of operations of bomber and ground-attack aircraft, as well as helicopters of the army aviation as they carried out airstrikes on Ukrainian armoured vehicles and servicemen,” while also detecting Ukrainian air defence sites. </p><p ><img src=" title="Su-57 (background) and Su-35 Fighters"></p><p >As the Ukrainian incursion force has been simultaneously assailed from several sides, reported losses have become increasingly extreme. The the Russian Defence Ministry on October 27 estimated the loss of over “27,150 troops, 177 tanks, 97 infantry fighting vehicles, 106 armoured fighting vehicles, 1,014 armoured combat vehicles since the fighting started in the Kursk area,” which was was up from the 20,650 personnel <a href=" in the first week of October to have been lost in Kursk by that point. With footage consistently showing successful strikes on Ukrainian forces in the region, and the destruction of some of its most valuable equipment, more recent Western reports have painted an increasingly unfavourable position of conditions for Ukrainian units still operating in Kursk. </p><p >Alongside deployments for air defence suppression missions, Su-35s have played a leading role in air-to-air operations in the Russian-Ukrainian War since February 2022. One of the class’ <a href=" >most notable successes </a>occurred in March 2022, when the aircraft reportedly <a href=" >shot down four </a>Ukrainian Air Force Su-27 fighters near the city of Zhytomir in a single engagement. Multiple <a href=" >further kills</a> have included more Su-27s, as well as MiG-29s,<a href=" > Su-24M</a> strike fighters, Su-25 ground attack jets, Mi-8 helicopters, and a wide range of drone classes. The Su-35 is by far the most costly Russian fighter class fielded across multiple units, although with a procurement cost estimated at $17 million depending on exchange rates it is still far cheaper than competing Chinese and American aircraft. Although representing a major leap in capabilities over the Soviet Su-27 it replaced in service, it is expected to be phased out of production by the early 2030s as production of the much more sophisticated Su-57 <a href=" >continues to expand</a>. </p>