Ukraine ensures that it has destroyed 34% of the strategic bombers fleet of Russia In a single blow, through the web operation that launched on Sunday on four airfields located in Russian territory. Not only that, kyiv estimates that with its FPV drones less than $ 1,000 caused damage to the Russian Federation for up to 7,000 million dollars.
The operation was planned for a year and a half, the Ukrainian President confirmed on Sunday Volodymyr Zelensky, who reported that a total of 117 drones were used. The Ukraine Safety Service (SBU) was behind the entire plot.
The whites of the attacks were the Russian air bases of Belayain the east of Siberia; OLENYAMurmansk region, in the Arctic near Finland; and Ivanovo and Diaguilevoboth east of Moscow.
The president of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky (left), gathered with the head of the Ukraine Safety Service (SBU), Vasyl Malyuk. (Photo: Handout / Presidential Press Service of Ukraine / AFP).
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According to sources of SBU that collects the Ukrainian press, To carry out the operation, FPV drones were introduced first in Russiasubsequently followed by wooden mobile cabins.
When the drones were in Russian territory, These were hidden under the roofs of these cabins that were installed in trucks.
At the time of attack, The roofs opened at a distance, which allowed the drones to take off and they will fly to the air bases near the truck locations to destroy their objectives.
The drones were controlled through Russian telecommunications networks, then they went automatically to their objectives.
Ukrainian military intelligence scanned Russian bombers and He used artificial intelligence to recognize them and execute algorithms for automatic immersions.
Photograph of the head of the SBU of Ukraine, Vasyl Maliuk, looking at maps from the place where Russian strategic planes were destroyed.
Aerodromes were protected by important defense forces such as anti -aircraft missile systems, electronic warfare systems and patrols with small service weapons. But the attack of the small drones during the day took them by surprise.
In total, drones destroyed 41 strategic aircraft A-50, TU-95ms and TU-22 m3 m3said a fort of the SBU to the Interfax agency. These ships are Keys for long -distance attack capacity and Aerial superiority of Russia.
The attack on the strategic bombers base Tu-95 in the airfield OLENYA It was particularly successful: the drones reached the refueling tanks and a large number of ships burned in their entirety.
This is what is known about the power of destroyed airplanes:
The Tupolev Tu-95ms
A Russian bomber Tu-95ms flying during the exercise of the Grom-2022 strategic deterrence force in an unknown place in Russia. (AFP / Russian Defense Ministry).
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Tupolev Tu-95ms is one of the most emblematic military aircraft in Russia and is mainly used as Strategic bomber and cruise missile launch platform.
It is a fixed -wing ship that Russians also use to detect Ukrainian aerial defenses.
This plane is driven by Four Kuznetsov NK-12 turboheric engineseach with counterative propellers.
Their propellers do it unique among strategic bomberssince it is one of the few of its class propelled in this way instead of having reaction engines.
Tu-95ms is known for its deafening noiseresult of the supersonic speed of its propellers.
It is designed for long -range missionswith an autonomy of approximately 15,000 km With aerial refueling.
Its main function is launch long -range cruise missileslike him KH-55 or the most modern KH-101/KH-102which can carry conventional eyes or nuclear.
Can transport between 6 and 16 cruise missilesdepending on the model and configuration.
The TU-95ms does not launch bombs from an internal winery such as classic bombers, but acts as Missile platform released from the airkeeping at a distance from the target.
The original TU-95 flew for the first time in 1952but the model Tu-95ms, The most common variant was introduced into 1981.
Despite its age, it has been repeatedly modernizedwith new navigation, plane and ability systems to launch more modern missiles.
It is expected to continue in service at least until the year 2040.
The Tupolev Tu-22m3
A Russian strategic bomber Tupolev Tu-22m3 Backfire returns to its base after an essay for the Military Victory Day parade on the outskirts of Moscow on May 4, 2020 (Yuri Kadobnov / AFP).
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He Tu-22m3 it’s a long -range supersonic bomber which is part of the strategic arsenal of Russia From the Soviet era.
It is part of the TU-22M family, developed in the 1960s by Tupolev as an original TU-22 replacement (called “Blinder” by NATO).
He Tu-22m3introduced in 1983, is the most advanced version of the Tu-22m.
His Variable geometry wing It allows you to adapt for subsonic and supersonic flight.
The maximum speed it reaches is around 2,000 km/h (Mach 1.8) at great altitude.
Its operational scope is between 6,000 and 7,000 km Without refueling, but it can be expanded with external tanks or replenishment in flight.
It’s a Tactical bomberNot strategic like TU-95ms, but can operate at great distances.
Can transport to 24 tons of weaponsboth in internal wineries and in external supports.
Among its main weapons are KH-22 and KH-32 cruise missiles, guided or non-guided bombs and Hypersonic missiles.
Is designed to attack aircraft carriers, air bases, ports and objectives of high priority.
Has been widely used in conflicts such as The war in Syria and the invasion of Ukraine.
In flight, it depends on aerial or missile coverage to avoid modern interceptors.
Beriev A-50
A Russian Military Military Detection Air Beriev A-50 off the Coast of Norway on August 17, 2007. (AFP).
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He Beriev A-50 it’s a Early alert plane and airborne control (AWACS) Used by the Aerospace Forces of Russia.
It is a key component for air space control, early detection of threats and coordination of combat operations.
Your goal is detect enemy aircraft, missiles and land or maritime movements at a great distanceand coordinate With fighters and other resources in combat.
You can follow Up to 150 targets simultaneously and guide more than a dozen fighters at the same time.
Is equipped with the Shmel radarinstalled in a large rotating dome that is on the fuselage.
The radar can detect airplanes to up to 650 km and small whites, such as missiles or drones, at shorter distances.
The system can operate 24 hours a day and seven days a week with multiple crew shifts on board.
Has a crew of up to 15 peopleincluding radar operators and control systems.
His autonomy is from some 7 hours of continuous operation, expandable with aerial refueling.
It is considered a Strategic activeand its loss represents a severe blow to Russian air command and control.
The consequences for Russia
The drones used in the operation against the strategic aircraft of Russia.
According to him Institute for the Study of War (ISW)the successful Ukrainian operation It could limit, at least temporarily, Russia’s ability to carry out attacks with long -range drones and missiles.
Precisely The objective of the Ukrainians were the aircraft that Russia uses to launch Ukraine cruise missiles and the early warning and control airborne systems that Moscow uses to identify Ukrainian air defense systems and coordinate the objectives of the Russian fighters.
The ISW indicated that Russia is likely to have difficulty replacing damaged and destroyed aircraft.
Forbes reported in September 2023 that A single A-50 plane costs approximately 500 million dollars.
For his part, Kyiv Independent reported on June 1 that Russia has less than 10 A-50 aircraft in operation.
In addition, a Russian military blogger affiliated with Kremlin said that Russia no longer produces chassis for TU-95 and TU-22 bombers and pointed out that these chassis are impossible to replace.
While The Economist reported that Russia probably has operations less than 90 TU-22, TU-95 and TU-160 aircraft.
