Tupolev Tu-160 bombers of the Russian Air Force
Moscow is moving some of its most valuable nuclear bombers closer to the United States to protect them from Kiev drone attacks.
Apparently following the Ukrainian attack that on the 2nd in Russian territory, Russia repositioned two its strategic nuclear bombers Tu-160 “Blackjack” For Anadyr Air Base in the Chukotka region, in the far east of the country.
The movement was detected in satellite images in X/Twitter by the Avivector, which show two TU-160 parked in Anadyr.
This base, a More than 6,750 km from the border with Ukraine, it is ironically closer to the United States, Russia’s main strategic rival- Only 560 km from the US state coast of Alaska.
According to, change is a tactical maneuver with the objective of Protect this nuclear bombers of Ukrainian long -range drone attacks.
Among the air bases affected in “Operation Spiderweb” is the Belaya Air Base in the Irkutsk region of Russia, Russia, over 4,000 km from Ukraine. The operation involved Drones transported in containers carried by trucks inside the Russian territory, which got away from the border.
With this repositioning, says Defense Express, Russia will be trying hide your most valuable strategic bombersprotecting them from a possible new Ukrainian drone attack.
🔻Satellite images of 🇷🇺 Anadyr Airbase as of June 7, 00:09 UTC
The airbase housed 2 Tu-160 (Blackjack).
After Ukrainian strikes on Russian airbases, Russia has dispersed its Tu-160 strategic bombers across multiple locations.
One of the Tu-160s from Belaya Airbase arrived at…
– Avivector (@avivector)
Anadyr’s choice is not just about the distance from the border with Ukraine, but also with the Geographical characteristics of the region in which it is: the Lack of access roads to the base, whose logistics is ensured by air or sea, makes the use of trucks unfeasible to put drones within the reach of an attack.
According to experts cited by Defense Express, it is unlikely that Russia can use Tu-160 from this remote air base to attack Ukraine, so only real reason for the decision is to hide the planes of possible Ukrainian attacks.
According to data confirmed by the Ukrainian Security and Defense Council, at least Thirteen nuclear bombers They were destroyed in four Russian air bases: Olenya (Murmansk Region), Be Belaya (Irkutsk), Dyagilevo (Ryazan) and Ivanovo.
Among the destroyed devices are nuclear bombers Tu-160, Tu-95ms, and tu-22m3, and the aircraft radar A-50-considered unsubstiturable assets For Moscow, because they cannot be repaired or alternatives that can take their place.
Russia It started in recent weeks to actively use the Tu-160 To attack Ukraine, but from 2023 until early May this year only two cases were known where this type of aircraft was involved in attacks against Ukraine, says Defense Express.
Tupolev Tu-160 is the Biggest and faster supersonic bomber currently. Introduced in the final years of the Cold War, it is a heavy bomber from variable geometry, Designed to penetrate air defenses high speed and launch nuclear and conventional cruise missiles.
Can carry up to 12 KH-101 or KH-55 cruise missilesgiving it a attack radius greater than 5,500 km without air replenishment. With a maximum looping weight of 275,000 kg, the TU-160 can reach Mach 2.05 and has a combat radius of over 7,300 km.
Russia currently has less than 20 of these bombers in operation, which makes them precious actives. And apparently, the drone attacks from Ukraine represent for Kremlin a greater threat For the Tu-160 than all the military power of the old rival on the other side of the Bering Strait.
