When President Vladimir Putin launched Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, few would have anticipated that Ukraine would eventually acquire the capability to strike Russian strategic bombers at a major air base deep inside Russian territory.
Yet that is precisely what is now taking place.
Ukraine has reportedly destroyed a Tu-95 strategic bomber at Engels-2, marking the second reported attack on the strategic aviation base in less than two months. The latest strike appears to have caused significant structural damage to the aircraft, with a section of the bomber’s right wing torn away behind the second engine.
The attack reportedly involved a MICH-2000 long-range strike drone operated by a specialized unit of Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU). Rather than following a direct route toward the air base, the drone was reportedly flown along a carefully planned flight path designed to reduce its exposure to Russian air defenses.
The incident highlights the growing sophistication of Ukraine’s long-range unmanned strike campaign. Let’s take a deeper look into this.
Source: Defense Updates
