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Russian Cruise Missile Strikes Ukrainian-Controlled Black Sea Drilling Platform
Newly emerged video footage purportedly shows the attack on a Ukrainian drilling rig in the Black Sea by a supersonic cruise missile launched by a Russian Tu-22M3 Backfire-C bomber. The incident underscores the importance of the Tu-22M3 fleet, which was recently targeted as they sat on the ground at Russian airfields in an unprecedented Ukrainian drone strike. The cruise missile attack highlights the ongoing battle for the control of northern Black Sea drilling platforms, something that we just covered in an exclusive interview with Ukraine's spy chief. The Russian side released footage from a strike with the Kh-22 cruise missile launched from the Tu-22M3 bomber on the "Tavrida" self-elevating drilling rig located in the Black Sea on June object has been occupied by the Russians since 2015 and recaptured by Ukraine in… — Status-6 (Military & Conflict News) (BlueSky too) (@Archer83Able) June 10, 2025 While the exact origin of the video in question is unknown, it began circulating on Telegram earlier today. Russian accounts claim that it documents a successful strike against the Tavrida self-elevating drilling rig, carried out yesterday, June 9. It's claimed that a Tu-22M3 used a Cold War-era Kh-22 (AS-4 Kitchen) anti-ship cruise missile to attack the rig, which was occupied by Russian forces since 2015 but was recaptured by Ukraine in 2023. While the Russian side claims that Ukraine used the Tavrida rig — located close to Snake Island — to launch special operations raids into and around Russian-occupied Crimea. At least one Russian military blogger claims that Ukraine was using this drilling rig as a forward base for personnel from the Main Directorate of Intelligence (GUR). They write that it was also used for launching aerial drones, refueling naval drones, as well as for hosting electronic warfare and communication systems. Speaking to TWZ, Lt. Gen. Kyrylo Budanov, commander of Ukraine's GUR, denied those Russian claims about the military uses for the rig, stating instead that 'We use the defense and control towers for other reasons,' but declined to provide more details. Budanov did confirm that the rig had been hit in the past more than 10 times, by Kh-22s as well as Kh-59 standoff missiles. From the available footage, captured from an aerial surveillance drone in the vicinity, it's not possible to determine what aircraft and missiles were involved, but the impact, close to the base of the drilling rig, results in a large explosion. Meanwhile, Budanov shared a photo with TWZ showing what he says was the rig after the latest attack, which you can see at the top of this story, which suggests that the main structure remains intact. Generally, the video footage appears consistent with the use of the very heavy Kh-22, or perhaps the more modern version of the same weapon, the Kh-32, which is externally similar. Both the Kh-22 and Kh-32 are carried exclusively by the Tu-22M3. The launch of two supersonic cruise missiles kh-22 from a long-range supersonic missile-carrying bomber Tu-22. fighter_bomber — Massimo Frantarelli (@MrFrantarelli) May 11, 2022 During the war in Ukraine, the Tu-22M3 has primarily been associated with attacks using Kh-22 missiles repurposed for use against ground targets. In this role, the weapon has proven to be very destructive, although not highly precise, and has resulted in significant numbers of civilian deaths. Video reportedly shows the moment of the Russian Kh-22 cruise missile hits the apartment block in Dnipro during Saturday's missile strikes. — ELINT News (@ELINTNews) January 16, 2023 In the past, we looked at the particular characteristics of the Kh-22, after seeing the first apparent evidence of the missile being used in combat in Ukraine, in May 2022: The Cold War-era Kh-22, known to NATO as AS-4 Kitchen, dates back to the early 1960s, and production ceased as long ago as 1988. The delta-wing missile is powered by a liquid-fuel rocket and is typically launched from a Tu-22M3 flying at a speed of Mach 1.5. The missile then accelerates to Mach 3 before approaching the target. In its terminal phase, the missile dives at a steep angle and attains a maximum speed of over Mach 4. Each Tu-22M3 can carry up to three of these missiles in overload configuration, although one is more usual. In Cold War times, the Kh-22 was primarily armed with a nuclear warhead, although an alternative conventional high-explosive charge was available for the anti-ship version. The limited accuracy of the land-attack version meant that this one previously only carried a nuclear warhead, which would have been used against large targets like airfields or ports. With that in mind, it's possible that a Kh-22 could have been used to strike the drilling rig in much the same way that it might target a naval vessel, using its active radar seeker for the final run-in to the target. Another option is that the missile was a Kh-32, which retains the same physical characteristics of the Kh-22 but offers improved performance, including a dual-role anti-ship and land-attack capability. Apparent Kh-32 test rounds carried by Tu-22M3s: 現在は改良型のKh-32が有りますね。これは近代化改修されるTu-22M3Mに搭載されます。 — 高町露化@ロシア海軍情報管理複合体 (@xia_takamachi) May 13, 2019 It's unclear to what degree the drilling rig might have been provided with any kind of air defenses. In the past, however, Ukrainian officials have stated just how difficult it is to shoot down the fast-moving Kh-22 missile without calling upon the most advanced Western-supplied surface-to-air missiles. Even these may well be of only limited effect against the missile, especially during its terminal phase. For now, we await more details about the nature of the attack on the Tavrida drilling rig, including potential post-strike imagery that might reveal the extent of the damage. However, the mission emphasizes the considerable value that both sides in the conflict place on this type of infrastructure. Despite Ukrainian denials that these kinds of platforms are not used for launching raids and drone attacks, their strategic location ensures they have been highly prized assets since even before the start of the current conflict. Contact the author: thomas@
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02-04-2025
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Tu-22M3 bomber crashes in Russia's Irkutsk Oblast
A Tu-22M3 strategic bomber has crashed in Russia's Irkutsk Oblast, killing one of the pilots. Source: Latvia-based Russian media outlet Meduza, citing Russia's Ministry of Defence; Russian Telegram channel Mash Details: Russia's Defence Ministry reported that the aircraft crashed during a scheduled flight. The four-member crew ejected, but one pilot died upon landing. Early reports indicate that a technical malfunction caused the crash. Telegram channel Mash says that the aircraft went down in the Usolsky district, striking a power line as it fell. For reference: Tu-22M3 bombers are involved in Russia's war against Ukraine. They have repeatedly launched Kh-22/Kh-32 missiles, including strikes on residential buildings and infrastructure facilities, resulting in numerous civilian casualties. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
