Latest news with #bombers
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Russia's long-range bombers kept up attack tempo, showing fleet's 'resilience' despite Ukraine's Spiderweb attack: UK MOD
Russia's bombers are still attacking Ukraine steadily despite Operation Spiderweb, the UK MOD said. It observed over 70 cruise missiles fired in July, saying it shows the "resilience" of Russia's fleet. Still, Ukrainian media previously reported that Russia is having to cram missiles on its bombers. Russia's long-range bombers are still assailing Ukraine at a steady pace despite June's daring drone attack against the fleet, the UK's defense ministry said in a recent assessment. In an intelligence update on Wednesday, the British ministry wrote that it had observed seven long-range attack packages launched against Ukraine in July, involving at least 70 "premier munitions" — powerful cruise missiles. "Russian Long Range Aviation bombers have maintained their offensive tempo, continuing to demonstrate the resilience and retained capability of the fleet following Ukraine's Operation Spiderweb on June 1, 2025," the ministry wrote. The assessment comes six weeks after Ukraine launched a surprise drone attack on four airbases deep inside Russia that housed the Kremlin's strategic bombers and early warning aircraft. Using first-person-view drones transported via truck, Ukraine damaged what it said was at least a third of Russia's bomber fleet. Dubbed Operation Spiderweb, the attack was hailed as one of the starkest examples of how asymmetric warfare can endanger high-level military assets like the $150 million Tu-95MS bomber. Ukrainian officials have said that the attack inflicted $7 billion worth of damage. Before the attack, Russia was believed to field roughly 67 strategic bombers in its active inventory, and videos released by Ukraine show that at least nine of them were heavily damaged in Operation Spiderweb. Ukraine reported that the attack damaged or destroyed at least 41 total aircraft, but independent analysts have said it's difficult to affirm that claim. Crucially, these aircraft can't be easily replaced. Russia is believed to have ceased production of the Tu-95 and Tu-22M, and while it's still making the newer Tu-160, only two have been reported manufactured in the last three years. Notably, long-range bombers are also one of the three key pillars of Russia's nuclear triad. Still, Russia has continued to bombard Ukraine after the June attack with a combination of one-way attack drones and missiles. Russia typically relies on its strategic bombers to fire cruise missiles, most commonly munitions from the Kh air-to-surface missile family. After Operation Spiderweb, one of Russia's biggest strategic bomber attacks unfolded on June 6, when Ukraine reported that Moscow launched at least 36 Kh-101 cruise missiles in one night. Ukrainian media, however, at the time cited unnamed sources saying that Russian forces had to compensate for a reduced fleet during the attack by loading each bomber to full capacity. Either way, Russia has continued using its bomber fleet in high-profile attacks. On July 12, Ukraine's air force reported another wave of 26 Kh-101 cruise missiles fired into Ukrainian airspace. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that in July alone, Russia had fired over 3,800 Shahed explosive drones and 260 missiles. However, he did not specify which of the latter were launched by strategic bombers. Read the original article on Business Insider
Daily Mail
04-08-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Putin 'moves four nuke bombers closer to Europe' after Trump sent nuclear subs to Russia as Kremlin warns against 'escalation'
Vladimir Putin has moved at least four heavy Tu-95MS nuclear bombers closer to Europe, says a report. The strategic aircraft are often used to bomb Ukraine, and the report from Insider UA says they have been loaded with missiles, leading to a 'high probability' of an imminent major attack. But, if confirmed, the move comes after Donald Trump ordered two nuclear submarines 'closer to Russia ' after a threat of atomic war from the Kremlin dictator's close ally, Dmitry Medvedev. The US submarines are now 'where they have to be', Trump said late on Sunday. Putin rebased his Tu-95MS planes from Olenya air base in Arctic Murmansk region after an audacious June 1 drone strike by Ukraine. They were also moved from Engels-2 in Saratov region amid fears of Ukrainian attacks. They were sent to Russia's Ukrainka air base in Amur region, 3,650 miles east of Moscow, where they were considered safe from attack, but evidently some of the planes are returning. The report: said: 'Russia has transferred bombers from the Far East closer to Ukraine. At least 4 Tu-95MS aircraft were redeployed from Ukrainka [air base] to Olenya/Engels-2. Some of the aircraft are already equipped with cruise missiles.' The planes are part of Russia's nuclear strike arsenal but are also used for hitting Ukraine with conventional bombs. Meanwhile on Monday, Ukraine's domestic security service said it had demolished a Russian jet fighter and damaged four other military aircrafts in a strike on Crimea, held by Russia. In a statement, it was claimed that a Su-30 had been 'completely' destroyed with another damaged. Three Su-24 jet bombers had also been hit, according to the report. It comes in a week when Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff is due to travel to Russia on Wednesday ahead of the imposition of sanctions on the Kremlin by the US if there is no move to a ceasefire and talks about ending the war. The initiative to meet Witkoff comes from the Putin regime, said Trump. The US president has given Putin s deadline of Friday for Russia to and end to the war. Russia today sought to downplay Medvedev's comment when he accused Trump of bringing war closer between Russia and the US. 'Every new ultimatum is a threat and a step towards war. Not between Russia and Ukraine, but with his own country,' said Medvedev, which Trump said was 'highly provocative'. But Putin's spokesman said today that it was Putin's words that mattered - not those of Medvedev, an ex-president who is now deputy head of the Russian security council. He said: 'Listen, in every country, members of the country's leadership have different points of view on current events, have different attitudes. There are people with a hardline attitude in the US and in European countries, this is always the case. 'But the main thing, of course, is the position of President Putin. You know that in our country, foreign policy is formulated by the head of state, that is, President Putin.' On the Trump submarine move, he said: 'It is obvious that American submarines are already on combat duty. This is an ongoing process. That is the first thing. 'But in general, of course, we would not want to get involved in such polemics in any way, we would not want to comment on this in any way. 'We are very careful about any statements related to nuclear issues. You know that Russia takes a responsible position. President Putin's position is well known. Russia is very attentive to the topic of nuclear non-proliferation. 'And, of course, we believe that everyone should be very, very careful with nuclear rhetoric.' He warned: 'There can be no winner in a nuclear war. We do not believe that we are talking about some kind of escalation. 'It is clear that very complex and sensitive situations are being discussed, which, of course, are perceived by many very emotionally.' Meanwhile, Russia has ramped up its attacks on Ukraine in recent days. Russia killed seven people and injured 13 including a four month old girl. 'Russia is hunting civilians along the entire front line. Killing people. Killing children,' said Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky. 'Deliberate FPV strikes on rescuers and medics who come to help after attacks – all of this is typical for every city or community reached by Russian drones. 'The Russian army is simply killing all living things. The world has enough power to stop this and protect people. 'We rely on strong decisions from the US, Europe, and the world regarding secondary sanctions on trade in Russian energy resources, on Moscow's banking sector. 'Ukraine expects the implementation of every agreement on strengthening protection, agreed with partners. Every day of delay leads to the loss of our people.'
Daily Mail
07-07-2025
- Daily Mail
How the horror unfolded: A timeline of events 20 years on from the horrific 7/7 London bombings that killed 52
It has been 20 years since the horrific July 7 bombings in London that killed 52 people, including the bombers, and injured nearly 800. Click the video above to watch how the events unfolded.
ABC News
01-06-2025
- General
- ABC News
Ukraine reportedly hits Russian bombers at airfield
Video of a laptop screen purports to show an aerial view of Tu-95 strategic bombers exploding.
Yahoo
01-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Ukraine says it has hit over 40 Russian strategic bombers in mass drone attack
A statement from Ukraine's security service SBU published in the afternoon stated: 'enemy strategic bombers are burning en masse in Russia', adding that Ukraine is conducting 'a large scale special operation aimed at destroying enemy bomber aircraft.' According to the SBU, more than 40 aircraft have been hit. Videos widely shared on social media show what appears to be a row of heavy bomber aircraft on fire at an undisclosed location. According to the Ukrainian media outlets which reported the strikes, the operation, dubbed "Spiderweb" (Pavutyna), which took a year and a half to prepare, targeted four airfields: Dyagilevo in Riazan region, Ivanovo in Ivanovo region, Belaya air base in Russia's Irkutsk region, which is located in south-eastern Siberia over 4,000km east of the frontline, and Olenya air base in Russia's Murmansk region, around 2,000km away from Ukraine's border. Apparently, the operation included the clandestine smuggling of drones deep into Russian territory, hiding them and finally launching them remotely. In March, Ukraine announced it had developed a new type of drone that can reach a range of up to 3,000 kilometres, but gave no details about its type or the size of its warhead. Recent satellite images show various Russian strategic bombers at the four bases that were allegedly hit during the operation, including Tu-95, Tu-22M3, Tu-160 and A-50. Tu-95, Tu-22 and Tu-160 are Russian heavy bombers regularly used by Moscow to launch missiles at Ukraine. The Tu-22M3 is capable of carrying Kh-22 and Kh-32 cruise missiles, travelling at a speed of 4,000 km/h, exceeding Mach 4. Tu-95 - the oldest among them - it is a Soviet-era plane, originally used to carry nuclear bombs but since modified to launch cruise missiles. A-50 is radar detection aircraft, which can detect air defense systems, guided missiles, and coordinate targets for Russian fighter jets. Volodymyr Zelenskyy earlier said he was meeting with the Ministries of Defence and Foreign Affairs, as well as the General Staff and SBU. "We are doing everything to protect our independence, our state, and our people," Zelenskyy said, adding that would be outlining "tasks for the near term" and "define our positions ahead of the meeting in Istanbul on Monday." Ukrainian and Russian officials are schedule to meet in Istanbul on Monday 2 June for the second round of talks between the two sides. Zelenskyy said Kyiv's utmost priority is unconditional ceasefire, followed by the release of prisoners and the return of Ukrainian children that were forcefully deported by Russia.
