During a drone attack on the Soltsy air base in the Novgorod region, Russia lost at least one Tu-22M3 bomber.
The photos were published in Russian social media.
The photo, most likely taken by one of the airbase’s servicemen, shows a bomber engulfed in flames.
Militarnyi reported that on August 19, Russia reported an attack on a military airfield.
The Russian Ministry of Defense confirmed this information, stating that one aircraft was damaged.
However, at the same time, Russian Telegram channels claimed that two bombers were damaged.
The Russians claim that the air base was attacked by a single drone around 10:00 a.m. Moscow time.
According to the Russians, the drone was allegedly detected by the airfield’s external surveillance post, after which it was fired upon with small arms in an attempt to shoot it down.
After the drone crashed or hit the targeted object, a fire broke out, which was allegedly quickly extinguished. No casualties among the invaders reported.
Some time after the strike on the airfield, at least two Tu-22M3 bombers took off from the airfield.
According to preliminary data, the bombers are being relocated to the Olenya air base in the Murmansk region.
The Tu-22M3 supersonic bombers are the carriers of the Kh-22 cruise missiles that Russians use to attack civilian and critical infrastructure in Ukraine.
“The Russian Ministry of Defense confirmed this information, stating that one aircraft was damaged.”
Damaged usually means something that can be repaired. That plane isn’t damaged it’s destroyed forever.
“According to preliminary data, the bombers are being relocated to the Olenya air base in the Murmansk region.”
This is humiliating for russia, to have tiny Ukraine forcing russia to relocate it’s bombers 1500km north, out of harms way. Be nice if Ukraine could develop a drone with a range of over 3000km, then even these planes won’t be safe.
So, this is what “damaged” means in mafia land. Just as I thought. Too bad it was only one.
Or, was it?
There is one image of one plane burning, but what does this mean?
At any rate, the massive increase in distance to Ukraine will increase the cost of operating them. This includes more fuel being burned and an increase in maintenance. Good job, AFU!