Ukraine Knocks Out Two of Russia’s Irreplaceable Tu-95 Strategic Bombers in Just Six Weeks

Ukraine has disabled two Russian Tu-95 strategic bombers in separate long-range drone strikes on the Engels-2 airbase in Russia’s Saratov region over a six-week period, targeting aircraft that Moscow can no longer replace.

According to The Telegraph on September 9, both strikes were carried out by a specialized long-range unit of Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU). Satellite imagery indicates that one Tu-95 lost its tail in a July 19 attack, while another sustained major damage to its right wing during a second strike on August 28.

Analysts cited by The Telegraph assessed that neither aircraft is likely to return to service. Russia has not produced new Tu-95 bombers since 1992, making losses from its existing fleet effectively irreversible.

“They’re part of Russia’s nuclear triad,” Justin Bronk, a senior research fellow for Airpower and Technology at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI), told The Telegraph.

“They’ve been used to conduct intensive missile raids against Ukraine for four and a half years. Destroying one, especially at its home base, is a politically poignant thing to do,” he added.

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War in Ukraine

Ukraine’s SBU Alpha Unit Strikes Russian Tu-95MS Bomber Used in Attacks on Ukraine

Aug 28, 2026 12:27

The Telegraph reported that the SBU used MICH-2000 long-range drones in the operations. The system has an estimated range of about 2,000 kilometers (1,240 miles), substantially exceeding the roughly 800-kilometer direct distance between Ukrainian-controlled territory and Engels-2.

The additional range allowed Ukrainian operators to plan indirect routes around areas with concentrated Russian air defenses. According to the report, the drones also used terrain to reduce their exposure to radar.

“There’s just less dense air defence cover that the Russians can put at any one site than they used to,” Bronk said. “Even something as important as Engels.”

Engels-2 is a major base for Russia’s strategic aviation and one of a limited number of facilities equipped to operate and maintain its nuclear-capable bomber fleet.

The Tu-95, together with the Tu-160, is one of two Russian aircraft capable of launching Kh-101 air-launched cruise missiles. The missiles have a range exceeding 3,000 kilometers and have been repeatedly used in Russian long-range strikes against Ukraine.

Robert Tollast, a researcher with RUSI’s Land Warfare team, told The Telegraph that Russia may have only around 20 to 30 operational Tu-95 bombers remaining, potentially fewer, as the aging aircraft require extensive maintenance.

“The Tu-95s are obviously really important for Russia’s deep-strike campaign, which tends to prioritise, particularly over the winter, Ukrainian power infrastructure,” Tollast said. “So the fewer Tu-95s Russia has, the fewer of these missiles can be fired with the devastating warheads and the long range,” he added.

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War in Ukraine

Russian Strategic Bomber Chief Reportedly Shot in Engels, Home to Tu-95 and Tu-160 Fleet

Sep 03, 2026 13:31

The two Engels strikes follow earlier Ukrainian operations against Russia’s strategic aviation. The open-source monitoring project Oryx has documented at least 10 Tu-95 losses since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion, excluding the two aircraft recently struck at Engels-2, according to The Telegraph.

The Telegraph reported that further reductions in Russia’s Tu-95 fleet could affect not only Moscow’s ability to conduct large-scale missile attacks against Ukraine but also the number of strategic bombers available for Russia’s nuclear deterrence and potential operations involving NATO.

In June 2025, Ukraine also targeted Russian strategic aircraft during Operation Spiderweb, when drones launched from inside Russia struck bombers at several airbases.

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