Russia’s Elite Air Regiment in Crimea Has Lost More Than Half of Its Su-30SM Fighter Jets

An Air Regiment in Free Fall

On paper, it was a force at peak performance: the 43rd Separate Naval Assault Aviation Regiment, stationed in Crimea and equipped with state-of-the-art Su-30SM multirole fighter jets. But today, reality looks very different.

Since 2022, the unit—part of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet and based at the occupied Saki airbase in Novofedorivka—has lost 7 out of its original 12 Su-30SM aircraft. That equates to more than half the regiment’s aerial combat strength, and these losses are far from symbolic. They reveal the systematic erosion of Russia’s ability to maintain air superiority in the region.

Breaking Down the Defeats

The first documented loss occurred on March 5, 2022, when a Su-30SM was shot down over the Mykolaiv region. Both pilots—including the squadron commander—ejected and survived, but were captured by Ukrainian forces.

Later that year, on August 9, 2022, the Saki base was struck in a massive Ukrainian attack. Russia lost three Su-30SM jets and had another damaged—a stinging blow that also affected Su-24 units stationed there.

The following years brought new attacks: one aircraft disappeared from radar on September 11, 2024, later confirmed to have been shot down by a Ukrainian special unit. On May 2, 2025, a technological milestone was reached when a Ukrainian maritime drone, for the first time, downed a Su-30SM over the Black Sea using an AIM-9 missile.

Saki — A Strategic Weakness

Crimea has long been the cornerstone of Russia’s military presence in the Black Sea. But recent developments clearly point in one direction: the Saki base has become a vulnerable Achilles’ heel.

Two additional Su-30SM jets were damaged in July 2025 by long-range UJ-26 Bober drones. In total, the regiment has now suffered seven irretrievable losses and two damaged aircraft, drastically reducing its operational capacity.

“At the start of the war, the regiment had 12 Su-30SMs,” explained Denys Tomenchuk, editor of Military Aviation. “Today, they operate with much less than a fully functional unit.”

An Air Power in Retreat?

For a regime deeply reliant on air superiority, this is a sharp reminder that the aerial battlefield is undergoing rapid change. Ukraine is demonstrating both tactical finesse and technological innovation—most recently by deploying maritime drones against aerial targets.

At the same time, Russia’s repeated attempts to downplay its losses, often producing hollow rhetoric from official spokespeople, highlight where the pressure is truly greatest: in the skies above the Black Sea.

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