The 299th Tactical Aviation Brigade based at Nikolaev-Kulibakino has applied a digital camouflage scheme to their Su-25M1s. After aircraft losses in the Ukrainian Civil War they realized they had to upgrade the older Su-25s and by the end of 2015 14 Su-25M1s and 2 Su-25UBM1 were completed. On February 26, 2022 Su-25M1 Blue 19 piloted by Lt. Col. Zhybrov was lost along Su-25M1 Blue 30 when they attacked a pontoon bridge being built by Russian forces in the Kherson region in an effort to add a crossing for its troops and supplies.

Designed as a close support aircraft with similar requirements to the US A-10, the Su25 was first flown on February 22nd, 1975.