**Ukraine’s Drones Strike 4 Su-34 Fighter Jets in Russia’s Volgograd Oblast, General Staff Says**
In a bold operation, Ukrainian drones struck four Su-34 fighter jets at the Marinovka airfield in Russia’s Volgograd Oblast overnight on June 27. According to Ukraine’s General Staff, the attack was carried out by Special Forces and the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) in cooperation with other military units.
The operation caused significant damage to Russian military assets, with preliminary data indicating that two Su-34 fighter jets were destroyed and two others were damaged. The airfield’s technical and operational unit, where combat aircraft are serviced and repaired, also caught fire during the attack.
This is just one of many recent drone attacks launched by Ukraine against Russian territory. As Russia intensifies aerial attacks on Ukraine and the civilian death toll climbs, Ukraine has stepped up its drone attacks to disrupt airport operations, overwhelm air defenses, and put pressure on the Russian population.
**Russia’s Aerial Attacks Continue**
Meanwhile, Russia continues to launch deadly missile attacks on Ukrainian cities, including a recent strike on the city of Dnipro that hit civilian infrastructure and a passenger train. The attack killed dozens of civilians and injured many more.
In response to these attacks, Ukraine has been increasing its use of drones to target Russian military assets. The country’s Defense Minister, Rustem Umerov, recently announced that Ukrainian manufacturers will supply four million drones to the front line this year, with up to 1.5 million already received by the army as of June.
**EU Sanctions Extended**
The European Union has extended its sanctions on Russia for its war against Ukraine, with member states’ leaders giving their political consent to extend the measures during a recent meeting. The sanctions are aimed at putting pressure on Russia to end its aggression against Ukraine.
**Short-Range Drone Attacks Deadly for Civilians**
The use of short-range drones in Ukraine’s front-line regions has become one of the deadliest threats to civilians, with at least 395 people killed and 2,635 injured between February 2022 and April 2025, according to a new bulletin by the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine.
**Kyiv Independent’s Francis Farrell Comments**
In an interview, Kyiv Independent’s Francis Farrell discussed a new modification of standard first-person view (FPV) drones that has transformed the way war is fought. The use of fiber optic cable to connect drone operators to FPVs ensures a perfect image and control experience all the way to the target – and cannot be spotted by enemy drone detectors.
As Ukraine continues to face off against Russian aggression, its use of drones will likely remain a key part of its military strategy. With four million drones expected to be supplied to the front line this year, Ukraine is ramping up its efforts to disrupt Russia’s military operations and protect its own civilians.
Read More @ kyivindependent.com
