Latest news with #Tu-22M3
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Russia reportedly redeploys bombers to Far East bases after Ukraine's Operation Spiderweb
Russia has redeployed dozens of long-range bombers to more remote bases within the country, Russian independent media outlet Agentstvo reported on June 11, citing OSINT analyst AviVector. The relocation comes in the wake of Ukraine's Operation Spiderweb, the unprecedented mass drone strike on June 1 that targeted four Russian air bases deep inside the country. The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) said 117 drones were launched from hidden positions across Russia, damaging 41 aircraft, including Tu-95, Tu-22M3, and Tu-160 bombers. According to Agentstvo, all Tu-160 bombers have been evacuated from Belaya airfield in Irkutsk Oblast and Olenya airfield in Murmansk Oblast. Some were relocated to Anadyr in Chukotka, Yelizovo in Kamchatka, and Borisoglebskoye in Tatarstan. Tu-22M3 and Tu-95MS bombers were also redeployed. Eleven Tu-22M3s and all Tu-95MS aircraft near Murmansk reportedly relocated to the Ukrainka airfield in Amur Oblast, Engels-2 in Saratov Oblast, Borisoglebskoye in Tatarstan, and Mozdok in North Ossetia. The reported relocation of bombers is the latest sign that Ukraine's drone warfare is forcing the Kremlin to rethink its strategic posture, even far from the front lines. Western analysts and military officials praised Ukraine's ingenuity in the Spiderweb operation. NATO Admiral Pierre Vandier called the mission a modern reinvention of the "Trojan Horse," demonstrating Ukraine's growing technical sophistication and deep-strike capability. President Volodymyr Zelensky claimed that roughly half of the targeted aircraft are damaged beyond repair. Russia has acknowledged losses but insisted all damaged aircraft will be restored. We've been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Russia flies bomber planes over Baltic for first time since Ukrainian drone attacks
By Mark Trevelyan (Reuters) -Russia sent Tu-22M3 long-range bomber planes on a flight over the Baltic Sea on Wednesday, the defence ministry said, in the first such mission since Ukraine carried out a stunning June 1 attack on air bases in Siberia and the far north. A number of Tu-22M3 and Tu-95MS bombers were destroyed or seriously damaged in those strikes, conducted by drones that were smuggled close to the airfields in trucks. Russia regularly conducts heavy bomber flights as a show of strength and deterrence to its adversaries, but Wednesday's also appeared aimed at sending a message of business as usual despite the Ukrainian attacks. The defence ministry said the Tu-22M3s flew for more than four hours over neutral waters of the Baltic, escorted for some of that time by fighter planes from foreign, presumably NATO, countries. The Tu-22M3 and Tu-95MS, known to NATO respectively as Backfire and Bear-H, are part of a long-range aviation fleet that Russia has used throughout the war to fire conventional missiles at Ukrainian cities, defence plants, military bases, power infrastructure and other targets. The Bear-H and the newer Tu-160M Blackjack are nuclear-capable aircraft which, alongside ground- and submarine-launched ballistic missiles, form part of Russia's strategic nuclear deterrent. Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said on Wednesday that Moscow's potential for nuclear deterrence against the United States had not suffered "any tangible damage" as a result of the Ukrainian attacks. Ryabkov has previously said Russia would repair the damage from the strikes, although commercial satellite images show a number were clearly destroyed. The United States assesses up to 20 warplanes were hit, around half the number estimated by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, and around 10 were destroyed, two U.S. officials told Reuters last week. Ryabkov, without citing evidence, said Western countries had provided technical help to Ukraine when it came to targeting and transmission of real-time data, and this made them complicit. "These countries, which have such capabilities, took this step, deliberately testing our patience and endurance - they encroached on the foundations of the concept of nuclear deterrence, not just with their irresponsible indulgence of the Kyiv regime, but by supplying this regime with key sensitive information," Interfax news agency quoted him as saying. The United States has said President Donald Trump was not informed in advance of the Ukrainian operation, dubbed "Spider's Web," which Zelenskiy has said was 18 months in the planning.
Straits Times
11-06-2025
- Politics
- Straits Times
Russia flies bomber planes over Baltic for first time since Ukrainian drone attacks
Russia sent Tu-22M3 long-range bomber planes on a flight over the Baltic Sea on Wednesday, the defence ministry said, in the first such mission since Ukraine carried out a stunning June 1 attack on air bases in Siberia and the far north. A number of Tu-22M3 and Tu-95MS bombers were destroyed or seriously damaged in those strikes, conducted by drones that were smuggled close to the airfields in trucks. Russia regularly conducts heavy bomber flights as a show of strength and deterrence to its adversaries, but Wednesday's also appeared aimed at sending a message of business as usual despite the Ukrainian attacks. The defence ministry said the Tu-22M3s flew for more than four hours over neutral waters of the Baltic, escorted for some of that time by fighter planes from foreign, presumably NATO, countries. The Tu-22M3 and Tu-95MS, known to NATO respectively as Backfire and Bear-H, are part of a long-range aviation fleet that Russia has used throughout the war to fire conventional missiles at Ukrainian cities, defence plants, military bases, power infrastructure and other targets. The Bear-H and the newer Tu-160M Blackjack are nuclear-capable aircraft which, alongside ground- and submarine-launched ballistic missiles, form part of Russia's strategic nuclear deterrent. Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said on Wednesday that Moscow's potential for nuclear deterrence against the United States had not suffered "any tangible damage" as a result of the Ukrainian attacks. Ryabkov has previously said Russia would repair the damage from the strikes, although commercial satellite images show a number were clearly destroyed. The United States assesses up to 20 warplanes were hit, around half the number estimated by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, and around 10 were destroyed, two U.S. officials told Reuters last week. Ryabkov, without citing evidence, said Western countries had provided technical help to Ukraine when it came to targeting and transmission of real-time data, and this made them complicit. "These countries, which have such capabilities, took this step, deliberately testing our patience and endurance - they encroached on the foundations of the concept of nuclear deterrence, not just with their irresponsible indulgence of the Kyiv regime, but by supplying this regime with key sensitive information," Interfax news agency quoted him as saying. The United States has said President Donald Trump was not informed in advance of the Ukrainian operation, dubbed "Spider's Web," which Zelenskiy has said was 18 months in the planning. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Yahoo
10-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Russian Cruise Missile Strikes Ukrainian-Controlled Black Sea Drilling Platform
Newly emerged video footage purportedly shows the attack on a Ukrainian drilling rig in the Black Sea by a supersonic cruise missile launched by a Russian Tu-22M3 Backfire-C bomber. The incident underscores the importance of the Tu-22M3 fleet, which was recently targeted as they sat on the ground at Russian airfields in an unprecedented Ukrainian drone strike. The cruise missile attack highlights the ongoing battle for the control of northern Black Sea drilling platforms, something that we just covered in an exclusive interview with Ukraine's spy chief. The Russian side released footage from a strike with the Kh-22 cruise missile launched from the Tu-22M3 bomber on the "Tavrida" self-elevating drilling rig located in the Black Sea on June object has been occupied by the Russians since 2015 and recaptured by Ukraine in… — Status-6 (Military & Conflict News) (BlueSky too) (@Archer83Able) June 10, 2025 While the exact origin of the video in question is unknown, it began circulating on Telegram earlier today. Russian accounts claim that it documents a successful strike against the Tavrida self-elevating drilling rig, carried out yesterday, June 9. It's claimed that a Tu-22M3 used a Cold War-era Kh-22 (AS-4 Kitchen) anti-ship cruise missile to attack the rig, which was occupied by Russian forces since 2015 but was recaptured by Ukraine in 2023. While the Russian side claims that Ukraine used the Tavrida rig — located close to Snake Island — to launch special operations raids into and around Russian-occupied Crimea. At least one Russian military blogger claims that Ukraine was using this drilling rig as a forward base for personnel from the Main Directorate of Intelligence (GUR). They write that it was also used for launching aerial drones, refueling naval drones, as well as for hosting electronic warfare and communication systems. Speaking to TWZ, Lt. Gen. Kyrylo Budanov, commander of Ukraine's GUR, denied those Russian claims about the military uses for the rig, stating instead that 'We use the defense and control towers for other reasons,' but declined to provide more details. Budanov did confirm that the rig had been hit in the past more than 10 times, by Kh-22s as well as Kh-59 standoff missiles. From the available footage, captured from an aerial surveillance drone in the vicinity, it's not possible to determine what aircraft and missiles were involved, but the impact, close to the base of the drilling rig, results in a large explosion. Meanwhile, Budanov shared a photo with TWZ showing what he says was the rig after the latest attack, which you can see at the top of this story, which suggests that the main structure remains intact. Generally, the video footage appears consistent with the use of the very heavy Kh-22, or perhaps the more modern version of the same weapon, the Kh-32, which is externally similar. Both the Kh-22 and Kh-32 are carried exclusively by the Tu-22M3. The launch of two supersonic cruise missiles kh-22 from a long-range supersonic missile-carrying bomber Tu-22. fighter_bomber — Massimo Frantarelli (@MrFrantarelli) May 11, 2022 During the war in Ukraine, the Tu-22M3 has primarily been associated with attacks using Kh-22 missiles repurposed for use against ground targets. In this role, the weapon has proven to be very destructive, although not highly precise, and has resulted in significant numbers of civilian deaths. Video reportedly shows the moment of the Russian Kh-22 cruise missile hits the apartment block in Dnipro during Saturday's missile strikes. — ELINT News (@ELINTNews) January 16, 2023 In the past, we looked at the particular characteristics of the Kh-22, after seeing the first apparent evidence of the missile being used in combat in Ukraine, in May 2022: The Cold War-era Kh-22, known to NATO as AS-4 Kitchen, dates back to the early 1960s, and production ceased as long ago as 1988. The delta-wing missile is powered by a liquid-fuel rocket and is typically launched from a Tu-22M3 flying at a speed of Mach 1.5. The missile then accelerates to Mach 3 before approaching the target. In its terminal phase, the missile dives at a steep angle and attains a maximum speed of over Mach 4. Each Tu-22M3 can carry up to three of these missiles in overload configuration, although one is more usual. In Cold War times, the Kh-22 was primarily armed with a nuclear warhead, although an alternative conventional high-explosive charge was available for the anti-ship version. The limited accuracy of the land-attack version meant that this one previously only carried a nuclear warhead, which would have been used against large targets like airfields or ports. With that in mind, it's possible that a Kh-22 could have been used to strike the drilling rig in much the same way that it might target a naval vessel, using its active radar seeker for the final run-in to the target. Another option is that the missile was a Kh-32, which retains the same physical characteristics of the Kh-22 but offers improved performance, including a dual-role anti-ship and land-attack capability. Apparent Kh-32 test rounds carried by Tu-22M3s: 現在は改良型のKh-32が有りますね。これは近代化改修されるTu-22M3Mに搭載されます。 — 高町露化@ロシア海軍情報管理複合体 (@xia_takamachi) May 13, 2019 It's unclear to what degree the drilling rig might have been provided with any kind of air defenses. In the past, however, Ukrainian officials have stated just how difficult it is to shoot down the fast-moving Kh-22 missile without calling upon the most advanced Western-supplied surface-to-air missiles. Even these may well be of only limited effect against the missile, especially during its terminal phase. For now, we await more details about the nature of the attack on the Tavrida drilling rig, including potential post-strike imagery that might reveal the extent of the damage. However, the mission emphasizes the considerable value that both sides in the conflict place on this type of infrastructure. Despite Ukrainian denials that these kinds of platforms are not used for launching raids and drone attacks, their strategic location ensures they have been highly prized assets since even before the start of the current conflict. Contact the author: thomas@
Scottish Sun
10-06-2025
- Politics
- Scottish Sun
Night of hell for Ukraine as Putin launches 315 drones in one of biggest strikes of war sparking huge inferno in Kyiv
Horror images show the devastation in Ukraine after another night from hell at the hands of the Kremlin UNDER SIEGE Night of hell for Ukraine as Putin launches 315 drones in one of biggest strikes of war sparking huge inferno in Kyiv Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) VLADIMIR Putin has killed at least two people in a terrifying drone blitz which tore through a Ukrainian maternity ward. Russia directly attacked Kyiv with 315 drones and missiles and demolished large parts of the southern port of Odesa overnight. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 4 A woman runs past a warehouse which is on fire following Russia's attacks on Kyiv Credit: Reuters 4 An explosion lights up the sky over the capital Credit: Reuters 4 A Russian drone strike on Kyiv left dozens of residential buildings crumbling Credit: AP At least four people have been hospitalised in Kyiv with seven out of the city's 10 districts being impacted. The devastating aerial attacks sparked intense recovery operations as emergency services battled against fires in residential neighbourhoods. Air raid alerts in Kyiv lasted for around five hours as they first alerted residents at around 5am, according to military data. Russia sent out a 315 drone blitz in the attack, including 250 Shaheds, and seven missiles, according to Volodymyr Zelensky. A harrowing image of the capital's skyline shows how it had been engulfed by a cloud of orange from the numerous blasts. As the sun rose in the morning residents complained they 'could not see the dawn' due to the thick black smoke still lingering in the air. Timur Tkachenko, the head of Kyiv's military district, said on Telegram: "A difficult night for all of us. "Throughout the night, the enemy relentlessly terrorised Kyiv with attack drones. "They targeted civilian infrastructure and peaceful residents of the city." Russia claimed they had only targeted the Ukrainian Artem plant which is where Kyiv produces air-to-air missiles, air-guided weapons, and anti-tank guided missiles. Zelensky also said large swaths of Odesa, Dnipro region, and Chernihiv were all hit overnight. The heroic leader said the night from hell marked one of the "largest attacks" in the gruelling war to date. In Odesa, a maternity hospital and residential buildings were all completely destroyed. Two were killed at the hands of Putin across the city. Speaking on X, Zelensky said: "In Odesa, even a maternity hospital became a Russian target. "Thirteen people were injured. Tragically, there are fatalities. My condolences to the families. "It is vital that the response to this and other similar Russian attacks is not silence from the world, but concrete action." Ukraine now reportedly faces over 500 drone strikes every night, as Russia appears to have stepped up assaults following operation Spiderweb. Earlier this week, Russian drones and missiles were launched at Kyiv again as Russian Tu-22M3 strategic bombers were reportedly unleashed to rain hell on the infamous Snake Island in the Black Sea. Moscow launched a massive strike on Rivne using its Tu-22M3 and Tu-95MS strategic bombers to hit Dubny airbase. Another key Ukrainian military airport - Hostomel - was also attacked as Putin sought revenge for the humiliating attack. Polish armed forces command said Nato fighter jets were patrolling due to 'intensive air attack by the Russian Federation on Ukrainian territory'. Just days ago, Kharkiv was rocked overnight as 48 kamikaze drones, along with missiles and guided bombs, slammed into residential areas, according to the city's mayor. 'We have a lot of damage,' Ihor Terekhov said. More than 50 explosions rocked Kharkiv, with the mayor adding it was 'the most powerful attack' on the city of the 39-month war.
