Title: Ukrainian Drone Strike Destroys Russian Long-Range Bomber
Date: 21 August 2023
Updated: 34 minutes ago
Image Source: X (Twitter)
Image Caption: Images posted online show a Tu-22 on fire at Soltsy-2 airbase
A flagship Russian long-range bomber, the Tupolev Tu-22, has been destroyed in a drone strike believed to have been carried out by Ukraine, according to reports. Images posted on social media, which were analyzed by BBC Verify, show the Tu-22 engulfed in flames at Soltsy-2 airbase, located south of St. Petersburg.
Moscow has claimed that the drone was hit by small-arms fire but managed to “damage” one of their planes. Ukraine has not officially commented on the incident at Soltsy-2 airbase.
Meanwhile, Russian air defense forces have successfully downed two attack drones over the Moscow region, Mayor Sergei Sobyanin confirmed. Additionally, two other drones were intercepted over the Bryansk region, northeast of the Ukrainian border.
As a result of these drone attacks, flights were temporarily suspended at Moscow’s three major airports. However, both Sheremetyevo and Domodedovo, the two main international airports, have since reopened.
The destroyed Tu-22 bomber was capable of twice the speed of sound and has been extensively used by Russia in its attacks on Ukrainian cities.
The Russian defense ministry, in a statement, referred to the attack as being carried out by a “copter-type UAV” at a military airfield in the Novgorod region, where Soltsy-2 is located. No casualties were reported as a result of the attack, and a fire that broke out in the airfield parking lot was swiftly extinguished.
Despite the destruction of a single aircraft having minimal impact on Moscow’s current fleet of 60 Tu-22 bombers, it highlights Ukraine’s growing ability to strike targets deep within Russian territory. Over recent months, Ukraine has launched numerous fixed-wing unmanned aircraft to carry out strikes on Moscow, covering a journey of several hundred miles. Soltsy-2 airbase is situated approximately 400 miles (650km) from the Ukrainian border.
The description of the drone as a “copter-type UAV” by the Russian Ministry of Defense suggests that it was a relatively inexpensive commercially available device used at a close range.
The Tu-22, codenamed “Backfire” by NATO, is a Cold War-era swing-wing supersonic bomber that has been extensively utilized in attacks on Ukrainian cities. The latest variant, Tu-22M3, can reach speeds of Mach 2 and carry up to 24,000kg of weapons. It has been deployed in conflicts in Syria, Chechnya, Georgia, and most recently, Ukraine.
Earlier this year, prosecutors in Kyiv alleged that a missile launched by a Tu-22 had hit a residential building in Dnipro, resulting in 30 casualties. They identified Russia’s 52nd Guards Bomber Aviation Regiment, based at Soltsy-2, as responsible for the attack.
BBC Verify has confirmed the location of the Ukrainian drone strike at Soltsy-2 by comparing visual evidence and historical satellite images of the airbase. Weather conditions, witnessed by the wet and overcast conditions depicted in the images, further support the authenticity of the incident.
The remnants of the destroyed aircraft seen in the footage are consistent with those of a Tu-22M3, with historical satellite imagery confirming the presence of such aircraft at Soltsy-2 airbase.
In a separate incident on Monday, Ukraine’s defense intelligence service spokesperson announced that another military aircraft had been damaged in a drone attack in Russia’s Kaluga region. Russian media sources reported the attack but denied any resulting damage.