In the Ukraine conflict, Russia’s Su-35—a highly maneuverable “4++ generation” fighter—has faced stiff resistance from Ukrainian forces equipped with Western-supplied and Soviet-era defense systems, including F-16s.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Monday that Russia has deployed nearly 50,000 troops to Kursk, the southern Russian region where Kyiv launched its surprise counteroffensive in the summer.

Russia carried out several missile strikes and launched 110 drones against Ukraine on the night of 11-12 November: Ukraine's air defence downed 46 drones, 60 had disappeared from radar and 2 entered the Belarusian airspace.

Despite increased production of Su-35 and Su-57 fighters, Russia's Su-35 "Flanker-E" has struggled in Ukraine. Originally designed to rival American fourth-generation jets, the Su-35 boasts a range of missiles,