Ukraine confirms its involvement in destruction of strategic nuclear bombers during drone attacks on Russian air bases
As a result of attacks on the Russian airfields Soltsy and Shaikovka, two Tu-22M3 strategic bombers were completely destroyed, while two other aircraft were damaged, reported Ukrainska Pravda, citing sources in intelligence.
According to the source, "Two Tu-22M3 bombers were completely destroyed, while two other aircraft were slightly damaged." The source also revealed that the airfields were attacked by quadcopters from Russian territory.
Satellite photos published LIGA.net show the Soltsy airfield, with one of the images showing the Tu-22M3 strategic bomber destroyed on August 19. The first photo is dated August 16, with Russian Tu-22M3 aircraft present, including the one later destroyed. On August 21, the images show the "remains" of the burnt bomber in the form of scorched marks on the ground. The absence of the Tu-22M3 is also noticeable.
On August 19, a military airfield in the Novgorod region was attacked by drones. Then, the Russian Ministry of Defense stated that one aircraft was damaged. On August 21, Russian Telegram channels reported an attempted drone attack on an airfield in the Kaluga region. According to these Telegram channels, an unused aircraft suffered damage.
Today, British intelligence has made the suggestion that the strategic Tu-22M3 nuclear bomber, destroyed in the Novgorod region on August 19, was attacked from the territory of the Russian Federation. Ukrainian military intelligence representative Andriy Yusov responded to this.
"We can confirm that the information provided by our British colleagues is based on reliable intelligence," Yusov said in a comment to Unian. "A group from Central Russia was operating, completed its mission, and returned to where it came from."
According to the representative of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense, four more bombers have been damaged in the past few days. Two of them on August 19 at the same airfield in the Novgorod region, and two more yesterday at the Shaykovka airfield.
Yesterday, The Moscow Times published an article stating that in a UAV strike on the Russian Soltsy airfield in the Novgorod region on August 19, Ukraine has completely destroyed a strategic nuclear bomber of the Russian Armed Forces for the first time. According to the media, Moscow no longer has the necessary engineering and technical base for new construction of such aircraft.