As a result of the latest attacks on Soltsy, Novgorod region, and Shaykivka, Kaluga region, both involving unmanned aerial vehicles, a strategic bomber was destroyed and four more were damaged.
The report was confirmed to Ukrinform by sources in Ukraine’s Security and Defense Forces.
“We confirm this report,” the interlocutors told the agency.
As reported earlier, British intelligence suggests that the UAV attack on the Soltsy military airfield in Russia’s Novgorod region, where the Tu-22M3 was destroyed, could have been carried out from Russian soil.
Russia has frequently used Tu-22M3 (Backfire) bombers to launch the notoriously inaccurate Kh-22 (AS-4 Kitchen) heavy anti-ship missiles against Ukraine. Early in the war, they also carried out intense bombardment of Mariupol using unguided bombs.
Source: Five bombers damaged in recent drone attacks on Russian airfields