Satellite images support Ukraine’s claim of destroying a Russian Tupolev Tu-95 strategic bomber. The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) stated that their long-range drones traveled roughly 500 miles to reach the airfield overnight on July 15-16, showcasing Ukraine’s ability to target deep within Russian territory. Images from Planet Labs, dated July 19, back Ukraine’s announcement. They depict the bomber’s tail completely severed at the Engels-2 military base in Russia’s Saratov region.
The imagery also appeared on AviVector, a satellite imagery account, which remarked that the Tu-95MS’s tail was entirely demolished and irreparable. The airbase hosts Russia’s 184th and 121st Guards Heavy Bomber Aviation Regiments. The SBU asserted that the attack illustrated the vulnerability of Russia’s strategic air forces, indicating they were not secure even at remote military bases.
Ukraine’s President, Volodymyr Zelensky, hailed the strike as an effective ‘long-range sanction’ against Russia. Newsweek has contacted the Russian defense ministry for feedback.
Importance of the Tu-95 Bomber
The Tu-95, a relic from the Soviet era, serves as the principal strategic missile carrier for Russia to launch cruise missiles at Ukraine. It can hold up to six cruise missiles, costs over $26 million, and offers a maximum range of 8,000 miles. The Tu-95 is valued for its reliability and maintenance ease compared to the Tu-160 strategic bomber. As per estimates in 2023, Russia operates 45 Tu-95MS bombers and 18 modernized Tu-95MSM aircraft, according to the Kyiv Post.
The production of Tu-95 airframes ended in 1992, marking any loss as permanent from the fleet. This reduces their active missile carriers, estimated between 27 and 34, as reported by Army Recognition, a military publication. The SBU stressed the strategic impact, stating each eliminated bomber means fewer missiles launched at Ukrainian cities, which in turn saves lives and incurs financial losses for Russia.
According to Oryx, a site that tracks war losses with image evidence, Russia has lost 11 Tu-95MS bombers since the complete invasion began. Ukraine has escalated attacks on other Russian sites. This includes assaults on logistics centers connected to Russia’s major online retailer, Wildberries, in St. Petersburg and Tver, and within occupied Crimea.
Social media footage captured thick black smoke emanating from a logistics park that houses the Wildberries facility in St. Petersburg. Another incident occurred at a Wildberries site in the Shushary district of St. Petersburg, with visible black smoke again. These events followed a statement from U.S. General Dan Caine, who mentioned that a Ukrainian F-16 had, for the first time, downed a Russian jet in combat.