20-4-2024 (KYIV) In a significant development that could signal a potential vulnerability for Russia’s military capabilities, Ukraine has announced that it successfully shot down a Russian strategic bomber for the first time since the invasion began in 2022. The downing of the Tu-22M3, a Soviet-era supersonic bomber, occurred some 300 kilometers inside Russian territory, according to the GUR military intelligence agency.
The incident followed a missile strike launched by the downed bomber, which tragically claimed the lives of at least seven people in Ukraine. While Ukrainian authorities did not specify the type of weapon used to bring down the aircraft, Russian news agencies reported that at least one of the pilots was killed, citing a technical fault as the cause provided by the Russian Defense Ministry.
In addition to the downing of the strategic bomber, Ukraine also claimed to have conducted a large-scale drone attack on Russia overnight, targeting energy facilities that support Russia’s military-industrial production. A Ukrainian intelligence source revealed to Reuters that at least three power substations and a fuel depot were hit in a joint operation involving Ukraine’s SBU security service, the GUR, and special forces.
The loss of the Tu-22M3 bomber could potentially expose a new vulnerability for President Vladimir Putin’s military, which heavily relies on these Cold War-era bombers as the primary tool in its missile campaign against Ukraine. The supersonic jets have the capability to launch strikes from deep within Russian territory, effectively rendering them untouchable by Ukraine’s air defenses until now.
According to the GUR, the successful hit against the Tu-22 bomber was the first of its kind since the start of Russia’s invasion. The intelligence service maintained Ukraine’s secrecy regarding its ability to down targets inside Russia, stating that the same type of weapon previously used to down an A-50 radio surveillance airplane was employed, without providing further details.
A Russian Tu-22M3 downed in the Stavropol Krai, Russia. According to Russian information due to ‘technical failures’. The Ukrainian GUR claim responsibility for the downing. Russian media report that 2 pilots ejected and are alive.
Ukraine shot down Kh-22 missiles launched… https://t.co/nuG7Teuw4p pic.twitter.com/7tjIYt5xNc
— NOELREPORTS ???????? ???????? (@NOELreports) April 19, 2024
Meanwhile, the overnight missile strike on the city of Dnipro, a major hub closest to the battlefield with a prewar population of nearly 1 million people, caused significant damage. Several apartment buildings, more than 60 residential homes, and infrastructure were impacted, according to regional Governor Serhiy Lysak.
While Ukraine’s air defense forces claimed to have downed 15 of the 22 missiles launched, as well as all 14 explosive-laden drones, the strike highlighted the ongoing threat posed by Russia’s missile campaign.
In a separate development, the governor of Russia’s western Smolensk region reported that a Ukrainian drone hit a fuel depot overnight, setting it ablaze. Governor Vasily Anokhin stated that the drone attacked a “fuel-energy facility” in the Kardym region at 2 am, hitting a reservoir containing fuel and oil lubricants. Firefighters were working to extinguish the blaze, and it was unclear if there were any casualties.
This incident follows Ukraine’s increased attacks on oil refineries in Russia, the world’s second-largest oil exporter, in an attempt to reduce Moscow’s energy revenues and the amount of money available to fund its military operations.
