Russia announces the superiority of the Su-34 over the Patriot system: long-range missiles that bypass American defenses
Arab Defense Website – November 3, 2025: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed before journalists his thanks to Germany for supplying his country with American-made Patriot air defense systems (two batteries), which were funded by Lithuania, Denmark and Norway.
Zelensky said: “We have been preparing to strengthen air defense for some time, and now the agreements reached have been implemented,” referring to Kiev’s efforts to strengthen its defense capabilities in the face of Russian threats.
On the other hand, Russia downplayed the impact of this step on the course of the war, stressing its continued superiority in some military fields.
Russian military correspondent Alexander Kuts explained that the two Patriot missile batteries will have limited effectiveness in light of the Russian forces’ reliance on precision strikes using long-range drones.
He added that Russian Su-34 aircraft are now capable of launching super-powerful winged missiles from distances far exceeding the range of Patriot missiles, which enhances their capabilities to direct long-range strategic strikes.
The Su-34 is a multi-role heavy strike platform equipped with diverse armament that allows it to carry out ground attack missions, long-range strikes, and confront naval and air targets. The aircraft carries approximately 12 external suspension points and is capable of carrying total payloads typically estimated at approximately 8 tons to more depending on the configuration, enabling it to mount various combinations of guided bombs, tactical cruise missiles, and air-to-air missiles for self-defense or air engagement.
Among the munitions operated by the Su-34 are the Kh‑38 family of air-to-surface missiles (of radar-guided, laser-guided or satellite-guided variants) designed for long-range strike with tactical precision, the Kh‑59 cruise missiles can also be carried to strike targets at standoff range with different guidance requirements, and the Kh‑35 anti-ship missiles for naval targets. These capabilities give it the flexibility to target hardened or distant targets without approaching direct enemy defenses.
To damage or suppress air defense and navigation systems, the Su-34 also uses Kh‑31 type anti-radar (ARM) or anti-ship (AShM) missiles, which have high speeds (up to Mach 3.5 depending on the model) and are used against radar and maritime navigation platforms. This type of missile is intended for missions to suppress air defense or strike monitoring and command capabilities.
On the defensive front, the Su-34 retains an internal 30 mm GSh‑30 series gun (model GSh‑30‑1) for use in close-quarters engagements or as a means of self-defense when needed, and electronic payloads, jamming and radiation protection systems (such as Khibiny or anti-radiation systems) are integrated on the aircraft to improve its survivability in threat-saturated environments. These systems work in parallel with the aircraft’s onboard sensing and guidance capabilities to enable the launch of precision-guided munitions.
The aircraft’s integration with advanced targeting and sensing pods enables the use of multi-channel guided missiles (laser, radar, satellite/inertial navigation system), making it capable of accurately attacking fixed and moving targets from relatively long distances, with the option of using control-guided air-to-surface munitions or guided bombs of the KAB or Grom‑/Kh‑36 family to increase the accuracy or effectiveness of strikes at long distances.
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