May 5, 2025
/ Photo by Russian Media
Main points
- Russian strategic bombers are moving to the Bela airbase in the Irkutsk region after the attack on the Engels-2.
- As of May 4, 4 Tu-95MS aircraft and 2 Tu-160 aircraft remained near the border with Ukraine.
Russian strategic bombers are gradually flying to the Bela airbase in the Irkutsk region. First, the Tu-95MS left the Olenya, and later the Tu-160 left the Engels-2.
This is reported by 24 Channel with reference to monitoring channels . However, 6 more planes still remain near Ukraine.
What is known about the displacement
Monitors call the situation regarding Russian strategic bombers “increasingly interesting.” This development of events was likely influenced by the UAV attack on Engels-2 airbase on March 20.
In particular, on the night of May 1, the last two Tu-95MS left “Olenya”. Later, on the evening of May 2, the Tu-160 left “Engels-2”.
As of Sunday morning, May 4, there were 8 Tu-95MS aircraft and 7 Tu-160 aircraft at the Bila airbase.
Please note! Near Ukraine, at the Engels-2 and Diaghilev air bases, there were 4 Tu-95MS aircraft and 2 Tu-160 aircraft.
Recall that on May 2, in the waters of the port of Novorossiysk, the Ukrainian military, for the first time in the world, destroyed a Russian Su-30 combat aircraft with a strike from a Magura naval drone . Later, information appeared about another enemy target hit.
According to Kirill Budanov, the crew of the first plane was able to escape – the pilots were picked up at sea by a civilian vessel. However, the crew members of the second plane probably died.
https://24tv.ua/rosiyski-bombarduvalniki-tu-160-tu-95ms-pereletili-aviabazu-irkutskiy_n2814698
Could these movements have something to do with Ukraine’s upcoming strikes on May 9th? Seeing the poor state of mafia air defenses, this could be possible.