Recent analysis and satellite imagery have indicated that Russia likely has not relocated one of its nuclear-capable Tu-160 heavy bombers further from Ukraine, despite reports suggesting otherwise.
The speculation surrounding the movement of the Tu-160 strategic bomber came in the wake of extensive Ukrainian drone strikes that purportedly targeted Russian airfields. On June 1, Ukraine reported successfully hitting 41 of Russia’s valuable warplanes in a coordinated operation across three time zones utilizing drones smuggled over the border.
According to the Ukrainian outlet Defence Express, Russia was reported to have transferred one of its Tu-160 bombers to the Anadyr airfield in Chukotka, Russia’s far eastern region. This claim was based on satellite images captured by the European Space Agency’s Sentinel satellites on June 4.
However, satellite imagery provided to Newsweek by Planet Labs showed that on May 26—before the Ukrainian strikes—three aircraft were on the main apron at Anadyr. Analysts noted that the low-quality image did not indicate the presence of the distinct Tu-160 aircraft.
Another image from June 3 showed four aircraft on the same apron, yet experts stated none of these were the Tu-160s.
Frank Ledwidge, a senior lecturer in Law and War Studies at Portsmouth University and a former British military intelligence officer, remarked that the movement of aircraft is standard military practice. He suggested that Russia moving its aircraft around does not imply any significant change in strategy but reflects a sensible approach to aircraft maintenance.
Under the New START Treaty that limits nuclear weapons, strategic bombers must be kept exposed, further adding to the context of Russia’s aircraft deployment practices.
Retired Air Marshal Greg Bagwell, a veteran of the U.K.’s Royal Air Force, indicated that following the recent Ukrainian strikes, Russia’s movements concerning its bombers may become more fluid.
Ukraine’s air assault specifically targeted at least one of Russia’s A-50 airborne early warning aircraft among several long-range nuclear-capable bombers positioned at four air bases located thousands of miles apart. Russian sources confirmed drone attacks on five bases, which were believed to include a key long-range aviation hub in Russia’s far east.
Ukrainian officials claimed that 13 aircraft were destroyed during the operation. Satellite imagery from the Belaya air base in Siberia and Olenya base in the Arctic region depicted the destruction of several bombers, including the Tu-95 and Tu-22. Furthermore, Ukraine acknowledged strikes against the Ivanovo air base northeast of Moscow and the Dyagilevo base in the Ryazan region.
The Belaya airfield is situated nearly 3,000 miles away from Ukraine, illustrating the extensive range of the strikes.
Senior research fellow Justin Bronk of the Royal United Services Institute noted that at least six Tu-95MS and four Tu-22M3 aircraft had likely been destroyed as a consequence of the Ukrainian strikes.
While these attacks may not significantly diminish Russia’s capability for aerial assaults on Ukraine, the series of simultaneous attacks—dubbed Operation Spiderweb—was reported to have caused approximately $7 billion in damage, highlighting the vulnerability of Russian airfields to drone strikes.
Moreover, the operation served as a considerable embarrassment for the Kremlin, exposing weaknesses in Russian military infrastructure.
U.S. President Donald Trump commented that Russian President Vladimir Putin had emphasized a strong commitment to retaliate for the attacks.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky hailed the impactful operation, noting that the primary base for the strikes was located “directly next to” an FSB regional headquarters, referring to Russia’s domestic security agency, which is a successor of the KGB.
In response to ongoing threats, Russia utilized a Tu-160 bomber to conduct an extensive missile and drone strike campaign against Ukraine. According to Ukraine’s air force, more than 400 attack drones were launched alongside six ballistic missiles and 38 cruise missiles in a recent attack.
Additionally, Ukraine’s military reported fresh strikes on Dyagilevo and the Engels long-range aviation hub in the Saratov region.
As the situation evolves, Newsweek has reached out to the Russian Defense Ministry for further comments regarding these developments.
image source from：https://www.newsweek.com/russia-tu160-strategic-bombers-alaska-anadyr-ukraine-spiderweb-2081937
