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A Lookback at Ukraine’s Last Tu-22M3 Bomber, Dismantled 19 Years Ago
On January 27, 2006, Ukraine dismantled its last Tu-22M3 strategic bomber, marking the end of an era for the country’s inherited fleet of strategic aviation.
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![Vlad Litnarovych]( "Vlad Litnarovych")
In total, 60 Tu-22M3 ‘Backfire’, 19 Tu-160 ‘White Swan’ and 23 Tu-95 ‘Bear’ bombers were destroyed or sold to Russia as part of international disarmament agreements and to pay off the gas debt to Russia.
Following the collapse of the Soviet Union, Ukraine became the custodian of a sizable strategic air fleet, including 23 Tu-95 ‘Bear’ bombers, 60 Tu-22M3 ‘Backfire’ bombers, and 19 Tu-160 ‘White Swan’ aircraft, along with the bases and infrastructure required to maintain them.
However, under the terms of the Budapest Memorandum and the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START), Ukraine committed to disarmament. The destruction of part of strategic bombers, including the extraction of valuable metals, was funded by the United States under the Nunn-Lugan Cooperative Threat Reduction program .
Under the Lisbon Protocol to the START I treaty, signed in 1992, Ukraine committed to dismantling all strategic nuclear delivery systems by December 5, 2001. This agreement set the stage for the elimination of Ukraine’s strategic aviation, with the decision finalized in October 2000.
Some bombers, however, were not destroyed. Struggling with debt to Russia for natural gas supplies, Ukraine transferred eight Tu-160 and three Tu-95MS bombers to Moscow in exchange for $285 million in debt relief. This decision remains controversial, as the estimated value of a single Tu-160 was between $250-300 million.
The bombers sent to Russia have since been deployed by its armed forces extensively. Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine when it initiated a massive missile attack on strategic targets in Ukraine. Since then, Russia’s strategic aviation, including Tu-95 bombers equipped with Kh-101 and Kh-505 missiles and Tu-22M3 bombers using Kh-22 missiles, are repeatedly bombing Ukrainian infrastructure and civilian areas.
The dismantling process occurred in two stages. First, the bombers were decommissioned—equipment, weapons, engines, and fuel were removed. Then, the aircraft frames were cut into three sections.
By January 27, 2006, a total of 60 Tu-22M “Backfire” bombers and 423 Kh-22 missiles had been dismantled.
The Tu-22M3 was designed as a nuclear strike platform, capable of carrying up to 24 tons of ordnance, including 69 FAB-250 bombs or three Kh-22 missiles. These missiles could be armed with nuclear warheads, and the bomber’s primary mission was to destroy enemy aircraft carrier strike groups.
The Tu-160, often called the ‘White Swan,’ was an engineering marvel. It holds over 200 aviation records and boasts a range of 14,000 kilometers without refueling. With a payload capacity of 45 tons, the Tu-160 could carry more than its counterparts. Its supersonic speed of 2,300 km/h and variable-sweep wings made it a standout in aviation history. A curious detail: it remains the only strategic bomber with a toilet onboard, emphasizing its advanced design and focus on long-range missions.
Several Tu-22 and Tu-22M bombers were rendered non-operational and preserved for public display. They were transferred to the State Aviation Museum of Ukraine and the Poltava Museum of Long-Range Aviation, established in 2007 at a former military airfield by a group of enthusiastic officers.
Earlier, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha condemned the failure of the Budapest Memorandum to safeguard Ukraine’s territorial integrity and its right to determine its future during his speech at the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe Ministerial Council in Malta during a 30th anniversary of the Budapest Memorandum’s signing.
