Air War in Ukraine
Gripen – Reinforcements from Sweden
Text: Miro Barič
The most significant event during the period covered in this part of the series (May 1 – May 31, 2026) was the announcement of a specific agreement on the delivery of Swedish Saab JAS 39 Gripen fighter jets to the Ukrainian Air Force. However, much more happened—not only in Ukraine but also, for example, in Romania, where a Russian drone crashed into an apartment building.
After receiving F-16s and Mirage 2000-5F fighters, Ukraine will receive a third Western fighter jet—the Swedish Gripen. In October 2025, the two countries signed a tentative agreement for the future delivery of 100 to 150 JAS 39 aircraft. On Thursday, May 28, 2026, Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson announced the agreement details while visiting Uppsala Air Base.
According to the agreement, Ukraine will purchase 20 new JAS 39E/F aircraft using €2.5 billion of a European Union loan. In addition, Sweden will donate 16 older JAS 39C/D airplanes to Ukraine.
Training of the Ukrainian pilots on Gripen is already underway and will intensify further by the end of this year. It was confirmed that among the pilots converting to the Swedish airplane is the well-known Ukrainian pilot Vadym Voroshylov, call sign "Karaya," who has until now flown MiG-29 fighters in combat.
The JAS 39C/D aircraft are expected to arrive in Ukraine at the beginning of 2027. The new JAS 39E/F aircraft should begin arriving in 2030. Kyiv is also negotiating with Sweden to localize production of these aircraft in Ukraine starting in 2033.
A very important part of the Gripen deliveries will be their armament. The Meteor air-to-air missile is capable of hitting maneuvering targets at extremely long ranges. Its exact range is classified, but it is estimated to be as much as 200 km (124 miles). This would enable Ukrainian fighters to effectively engage Russian Su-34 bombers, which currently launch glide bombs from distances of around 100 km (62 miles). Saab 340 Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C) aircraft, which Ukraine has already received, could help detect targets for the Gripens.
Another fighter type that may eventually enter Ukrainian service is the French Rafale. Around the same time that Ukraine signed its tentative agreement with Sweden for Gripen deliveries, it also signed a similar agreement with France. However, in this case no specific contract for Rafale deliveries has yet been concluded.
Sweden and Ukraine signed an agreement on JAS 39 Gripen fighter jets deliveries.
Russian Attacks
On Wednesday, May 13, and Thursday, May 14, Russia carried out one of its largest attacks to date. Over the course of the assault, it launched 1,567 drones and another 56 missiles and cruise missiles against Ukraine.
One of the targets was Uzhhorod in the far west of the country, directly on the Slovak border. Uzhhorod Airport is so close to Slovakia that the runway end lights are actually located on Slovak territory.
The heaviest strike targeted Kyiv, where at least 24 people were killed, including three children. Among them were two girls whose father, Yevhen Yakovlev, had been killed in combat in 2023.
Across Ukraine, a total of 27 people were killed and another 80 were injured.
Another major attack on Kyiv took place during the night of Sunday, May 24. Russia launched 690 projectiles during the assault. Ukrainian air defenses shot down 549 drones and 55 missiles. The projectiles that penetrated the defenses killed four people and injured more than 100.
The list of targets struck included the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs building, the Chornobyl Museum, a water treatment facility, a theater, a school, a tax office, a marketplace, and apartment buildings.
Russia also used an Oreshnik missile. The missile is increasingly proving to be a major disappointment in terms of guidance accuracy. In this case, it struck garages in the city of Bila Tserkva. Russia reportedly launched a second Oreshnik missile as well, but it failed to hit Ukrainian-controlled territory altogether and instead landed in the Russian-occupied part of Donetsk Oblast.
Russia also missed its intended target on Friday, May 29, when, during an attack on the Ukrainian Danube port city of Reni, a Russian drone struck the roof of an apartment building in the Romanian city of Galați, located about 20 km (12 miles) from Reni.
The explosion caused a fire in an apartment on the 10th floor and injured two people. The Romanian Air Force scrambled two F-16 fighters, but they were unable to intercept the drone in time. Based on recovered wreckage, Romanian authorities identified it as a Russian Geran (Shahed) drone. Russia, however, denied responsibility.
Ukrainian drone defense.
Ukraine has modernized its Shilka air defense systems.
Aftermath of the Russian attack on Kyiv on May 13–14. Most of the casualties occurred in this apartment building, which was destroyed by a Kh-101 cruise missile.
Attack on Kyiv on May 24.
Apartment building in the Romanian city of Galați which was struck by a Russian drone on May 29.
Ukrainian Attacks
Ukraine continued its attacks on Russian oil infrastructure. Among the repeatedly targeted facilities was the refinery in Tuapse, mentioned in the previous part of this series. Russian logistics, especially supply routes leading to Crimea, were also targeted.
A Ukrainian strike on Starobilsk in the occupied Luhansk region caused considerable controversy.
During the night of Friday, May 22, several university buildings, including a dormitory, were hit. Ukraine claims the facilities were being used to recruit and train drone operators, citing video footage previously published by Russian sources themselves—which was reportedly deleted after the Ukrainian strike—as evidence.
The Russian side claims that the victims were ordinary students. Initially, Russian authorities said six students aged 14–18 had been killed. Later, the reported death toll increased to 21, while the reported age range changed to 18–22 years.
These Russian claims could not be independently verified.
Ukraine challenged the published identities of some of the alleged victims. In at least six cases, Russian authorities reportedly used photographs of young Ukrainian men and women who had previously been killed in Russian attacks, cynically presenting them as victims from Starobilsk.
Russia rejected United Nations requests for access to the strike site. Although it later brought selected journalists to the location, they were shown only the ruins of one damaged building—the dormitory. They were not allowed to visit the other buildings that had been struck.
As retaliation, President Vladimir Putin ordered the missile strike that employed Oreshnik missiles (mentioned above). He did not explain what previous Russian attacks were themselves supposed to have been retaliation for.
Aftermath of the Ukrainian strike on Starobilsk in the Luhansk region on May 22.
Russian Aircraft Losses
On Friday, May 1, Ukraine's Security Service (SBU) announced that it had carried out an attack on the Shagol Air Base in Chelyabinsk, approximately 1,700 km (1,056 miles) from Ukrainian territory. According to the SBU, four aircraft were hit: two Su-57 fighters, one Su-34 fighter-bomber, and one aircraft of an unknown type. However, so far these claims have not been independently verified.
The first confirmed Russian aviation loss during the reporting period occurred on Tuesday, May 5, when a Mi-8 helicopter was destroyed. The aircraft crashed under unknown circumstances while responding to a Ukrainian drone attack. The entire crew was killed. One of the crew members was identified as Lieutenant Nikita Mitroshchenko.
On Thursday, May 14, Ukrainian drones scored another rare success. At Yeysk Air Base on the coast of the Sea of Azov in Russia's Krasnodar Krai, they struck and destroyed a Beriev Be-200 aircraft. The Be-200 is an amphibious jet-powered flying boat. Its prototype first flew in 1998, and around 20 have been produced since then.
The largest operator is Russia's Ministry of Emergency Situations, which owns 12 aircraft primarily used to fight forest fires, although only about half are believed to be operational. Russia's Ministry of Defense purchased three Be-200s. The aircraft destroyed in the attack was apparently operational, as it was connected to a tow bar on its nose landing gear for ground handling.
During the same attack on Yeysk Air Base, a Kamov Ka-27 helicopter was also destroyed. However, it was either already de-comissioned or undergoing maintenance, as its rotor blades had been removed.
On Monday, May 18, the Russian Air Force once again inflicted losses on itself. A Russian fighter aircraft accidentally shot down a Mi-8 helicopter. The entire helicopter crew was killed.
The circumstances of the incident remain unknown, but it most likely occurred during operations against Ukrainian drones. According to several sources, the helicopter was the relatively rare Mi-8MTPR-1 electronic warfare version.
Ukraine launched another major air strike on Wednesday, May 27, using Storm Shadow / SCALP-EG cruise missiles. Shortly after 5:00 a.m., the missiles targeted the Russian cities of Voronezh and Taganrog, as well as Sevastopol in occupied Crimea.
In Voronezh, Baltimor Air Base was struck. The base is home to the 47th Bomber Aviation Regiment of the 105th Mixed Aviation Division. Russian Su-34 aircraft stationed there regularly conduct strike missions against Ukraine.
In Taganrog, located in Russia's Rostov Oblast, initial reports suggested that the local aircraft repair plant was the target. However, the Ukrainian General Staff later clarified that the Storm Shadow missiles had actually targeted Taganrog-Central Air Base, where the repair facility is located. The base is also home to the 708th Military Transport Aviation Regiment of the 18th Guards Military Transport Aviation Division, which operates Ilyushin Il-76 transport aircraft supporting Russian military logistics.
The third target was the headquarters building of the Russian Black Sea Fleet's Naval Aviation Command in Sevastopol. According to video footage that emerged later, the headquarters building was completely destroyed by fire.
On Saturday, May 30, Ukrainian drones attacked Taganrog-South Airfield. Two Tupolev Tu-142 maritime patrol and anti-submarine aircraft were hit. The Tu-142 is a turboprop aircraft developed from the Tu-95 strategic bomber.
One Tu-142MR was destroyed, while one Tu-142MK was damaged. According to The Military Watch, the damaged aircraft carried the fuselage number "Black 71."
However, both aircraft had reportedly been out of service for a long time—more than 15 years—although they were occasionally moved around the airfield. They had been parked at their current location only shortly before the attack.
The Ukrainian Air Force suffered no confirmed aircraft losses during the reporting period.
Beriev Be-200 destroyed during the Ukrainian attack on Yeysk on May 14.
Kamov Ka-27 destroyed during the Ukrainian attack on Yeysk on May 14.
Ukrainian Su-24 carrying Storm Shadow / SCALP-EG cruise missiles.
Russian Tu-142 aircraft hit at Taganrog-South Airfield on May 30.
MiG-29 fighters belonging to the Ukrainian 114th Tactical Aviation Brigade.
A Ukrainian MiG-29 pilot launches the guided bombs against a target.
A pilot, callsign „Morgan“, serves with the 204th Tactical Aviation Brigade. He is credited with destroying 26 aerial targets and carrying out 18 precision strikes against ground targets. He scored his first aerial kill in 2023, shooting down a reconnaissance drone. All of his subsequent aerial victories have been against attack drones and cruise missiles.
An attractive tail art sported by a Ukrainian MiG-29 fighter.