In a dramatic escalation of hostilities, a Ukrainian drone strike has reportedly obliterated a prominent Russian long-range bomber, signaling a new level of engagement in the ongoing conflict between the two nations.

Images shared on social media platforms and analyzed by BBC Verify appear to depict a Tupolev Tu-22 engulfed in flames at the Soltsy-2 airbase, located to the south of St. Petersburg.

While Moscow asserts that the drone was indeed struck by small-arms fire but only managed to “damage” one of its aircraft, Ukraine has refrained from commenting on the incident.

Russian power

The Tupolev Tu-22, capable of reaching twice the speed of sound, has been extensively utilized by Russia to carry out attacks on Ukrainian cities, making it a high-value target for Ukrainian forces.

The Russian Ministry of Defence issued a statement, confirming that the incident occurred around 10:00 Moscow time (08:00 BST) on Saturday at a military airfield in the Novgorod region, where Soltsy-2 is situated. According to the Russian MoD, the “copter-type UAV” was detected by the airfield’s observation post and subsequently engaged with small-arms fire. The statement maintained that while one airplane was damaged, there were no casualties as a result of the attack. Additionally, it mentioned that a fire in the airfield’s parking area was swiftly extinguished.

Moscow’s denials

Contrary to Moscow’s account, images circulating on the Telegram social media platform portrayed a substantial fire consuming an aircraft that exhibited the distinctive nose cone of the Tu-22.

While the destruction of a single aircraft may not significantly diminish Moscow’s current fleet of 60 Tu-22 bombers, this operation underscores Kyiv’s growing capacity to target Russian territory deeply. In recent months, Kyiv has employed numerous fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicles to strike Moscow, a journey spanning several hundred miles. Soltsy-2, the site of the attack, is approximately 400 miles (650km) from the Ukrainian border.

Ukrainian tools

However, the Russian MoD’s description of the drone as a “copter-type UAV” suggests it may have been a relatively inexpensive, commercially available device launched at short range.

The Tu-22, commonly referred to as “Backfire” by NATO, is a Cold War-era swing-wing supersonic bomber. Modern variants such as the Tu-22M3 can reach speeds of Mach 2 (2,300km/h or 1,430mph) and carry payloads of up to 24,000kg, including conventional bombs and guided missiles. These bombers have been deployed in various conflicts, including Syria, Chechnya, Georgia, and most recently, Ukraine.