A dramatic incident unfolded at a military airfield deep inside Russia, as a Russian supersonic bomber was destroyed in what appears to be a drone strike carried out by Ukraine.
Photos circulating on social media, including those posted by Anton Gerashchenko, an aide to Ukraine's Ministry of Internal Affairs, show a Tu-22M3 supersonic long-range bomber engulfed in flames. The British military intelligence has stated that the drone attack likely targeted the Soltsy-2 air base south of St. Petersburg, an act that Moscow has blamed on Ukraine.
Russia's Defense Ministry confirmed that a military airfield in the Novgorod region, where bombers like the Tu-22M3 are stationed, had indeed been attacked by a Ukrainian drone, resulting in damage to one plane. The ministry reported that the drone was shot down by small arms fire and that no injuries were sustained. However, no further details were provided.
The latest bulletin from British military intelligence highlights that this is at least the third successful attack on long-range aviation airfields, raising concerns about Russia's ability to protect strategic locations within its borders. Analysts in the UK argue that if a copter-style drone was indeed used in the strike, it suggests that some drone attacks may be originating from within Russia itself, as the range of such drones would not likely allow them to reach the airfield from across the border, which is over 400 miles away.
Ukraine, which rarely takes public responsibility for attacks inside Russia, has not commented on the destruction of the bomber. However, Kyiv has previously accused Russia of using the Tu-22M3 to launch Kh-22 cruise missiles at targets in Ukraine and has vowed to take all necessary measures to neutralize Russian military assets.
According to Western military experts, Russia possesses approximately 60 of these supersonic bombers, each with a price tag of around $40 million. The drone attack on the Novgorod air base has drawn criticism from influential Russian military bloggers, who have chastised the country's Defense Ministry for not storing the aircraft in hangars or implementing basic protective measures, such as nets, to shield the bombers from quadcopters.
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