Ukrainian Drone Destroys Long-Range Tu-22 Bomber That Moscow Had Used To Attack Kyiv: Report

According to media reports, a Ukrainian drone attack has destroyed a supersonic Russian Tu-22 bomber that Moscow had used to attack Kyiv extensively.

A Ukrainian drone attack has destroyed Russia’s long-range supersonic bomber in yet another drone strike, reported BBC citing various media reports. BBC added that images on social media showed a Tupolev Tu-22 on fire at Soltsy-2 airbase, south of St Petersburg. While there has been no statement from Ukraine, Russia has acknowledged that a drone was hit by small-arms fire but managed to "damage" a plane.  

Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said, as quoted by BBC, that Russian air defence downed two attack drones over the region. The two other drones were intercepted over the Bryansk region, north-east of the Ukrainian border, defence officials said, as per BBC. 

The Russian Tu-22 bomber can travel at twice the speed of sound and has been used massively by Russia to attack cities in Ukraine, BBC stated in its report. 

Meanwhile, after the attack, flights were suspended at Moscow's three biggest airports, according to state media. However, two main international airports at Sheremetyevo and Domodedovo later reopened. 

According to BBC, Moscow's defence ministry said that an attack by a "copter-type UAV" took place at around 10:00 Moscow time (08:00 BST) on Saturday, adding that the location is "a military airfield in the Novgorod region", where Soltsy-2 is situated. 

"The UAV was detected by the airfield's observation outpost and was hit with small-arms fire...One airplane was damaged; there were no casualties as a result of the terrorist act," the ministry said. 

The statement added that a fire which broke out in the airfield parking lot was quickly doused. 

 The attack is one of many that Kyiv has been pursuing showing its strength of targeting Russian cities, Notably, Soltsy-2, where the present attack took place, is around 400 miles (650km) from the Ukraine border. 

However, the Russian defence ministry described the drone as a "copter-type UAV" suggesting a cheap, commercially available device launched at short range. 

 

Tupolev Tu-22 Bomber 

According to BBC, the Tu-22 is a Cold War-era, swing-wing supersonic bomber which was codenamed "Backfire" by Nato. 

Its modern versions like the Tu-22M3 can reach speeds of Mach 2 (2,300km/h or 1,430mp/h) and can carry up to 24,000kg of weapons, including "dumb bombs" and homing missiles, BBC added. It stated that these have been used during conflicts in Syria, Chechnya, and Georgia and most recently in Ukraine. 

According to prosecutors in Kyiv, stated BBC, at least 30 people were killed when a missile launched by Tu-22 hit a block of flats in Dnipro in January. They added that the attack was carried out by Russia's 52nd Guards Bomber Aviation Regiment which is based at Soltsy-2.