Direct proof of use
The Su-25 is documented on both sides of the 2014 Russia-Ukraine War. In the first Donbas phase, Ukrainian Su-25 attack aircraft supported government operations and suffered combat losses: TIME reported that two Ukrainian Su-25s were among four aircraft returning after supporting Ukrainian government forces near the Russia-Ukraine border when they were shot down over the Savur-Mohyla area on July 23, 2014.
After Russia's full-scale invasion on February 24, 2022, open-source air-war studies and reporting show continued Su-25 employment by both air forces. RUSI described Russian Su-25SM/SM3 ground-attack aircraft flying low-altitude attacks against Ukrainian Army targets near the front and Ukrainian Su-25s becoming more active with standoff rocket attacks and bombing runs against Russian positions in Kherson and Kharkiv. CNA separately assessed that Russian close-air-support attempts shifted from very-low-level daylight penetrations to standoff unguided rocket attacks by Su-25s after early March 2022 losses.
Sources: TIME Two Ukrainian Fighter Jets Downed, RUSI Russian Air War, CNA Russian Combat Air Lessons
Timeline
On May 26-27, 2014, Ukrainian forces used air power during the battle for Donetsk airport; Guardian reporting from Donetsk described Ukrainian resistance to the airport seizure as including air strikes and fighter jets patrolling the skies. On July 23, 2014, two Ukrainian Su-25s were shot down after supporting government forces near the border area.
On February 24, 2022, the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission observed at least two probable Su-25s flying over Hostomel in Kyiv region during the first day of the full-scale invasion. In the following months, RUSI and CNA described Russian Su-25 sorties as low-level or standoff rocket attacks under dense Ukrainian air-defense pressure, while Ukrainian Su-25s and Su-24s conducted standoff rocket attacks and bombing runs as Ukraine regained the initiative around Kherson and Kharkiv.
Sources: Guardian Donetsk Airport Air Strikes, TIME Two Ukrainian Fighter Jets Downed, OSCE SMM Daily Report 43/2022, RUSI Russian Air War, CNA Russian Combat Air Lessons
Operational role
The Su-25's role in this conflict has stayed close to its original design purpose: battlefield strike and close air support from low altitude. The aircraft appeared in 2014 as part of Ukraine's effort to retake and hold key positions in Donbas, with losses demonstrating that even the earlier phase of the war exposed tactical aircraft to surface and air threats.
During the full-scale war, the Su-25 became a survivability-limited strike platform rather than an aircraft able to operate freely over the battlefield. RUSI reported Russian Su-25SM/SM3 missions at very low altitude, often below 1,000 meters and sometimes under 100 meters near the front, with MANPADS as a primary threat. CNA described the same adaptation as a shift toward lofted S-8 and S-13 rocket attacks after early close-air-support losses.
Ukraine continued to fly Su-25s despite the threat from Russian fighters, long-range air-to-air missiles, and ground-based air defense. RUSI said Ukrainian Su-25 and Su-24 attack aircraft conducted regular standoff rocket attacks and some bombing runs against Russian positions in Kherson and Kharkiv from September 2022, while later reporting documented Ukrainian Su-25s adapted to launch French-supplied Hammer/AASM precision-guided bombs from the 299th Tactical Aviation Brigade.
Sources: TIME Two Ukrainian Fighter Jets Downed, RUSI Russian Air War, CNA Russian Combat Air Lessons, TWZ Ukrainian Su-25 Shoot-Down, TWZ Ukrainian Su-25 Hammer Bombs
