A drone from the Ukrainian Armed Forces reportedly destroyed a Russian Tu-22M3 strategic bomber, according to a statement by Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi in an interview with the portal LB.ua, published on Tuesday (April 9).
“A few days ago, our successful operations destroyed a Tu-22M3 bomber aircraft. As soon as it landed, it was struck by our drone,” Syrskyi said.
The statement was made in the context of discussions on the impact of Ukraine’s long-range drone operations.
Although the claim has not yet been independently verified, the destruction of a Tu-22M3 — a Soviet-designed supersonic bomber valued at around $100 million — would represent a significant blow to the Russian Air Force, which continues to use the aircraft in attacks against Ukraine.
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Time and location remain unknown
The commander did not specify when or where the attack took place. So far, neither Kyiv nor Moscow has officially reported the destruction of fixed-wing aircraft during April. According to the Ukrainian General Staff, a total of 370 Russian warplanes had been destroyed as of April 9.
Technical failure or Ukrainian strike?
On April 2, Russian authorities reported that a Tu-22M3 had crashed in the Irkutsk region of Siberia, allegedly due to a technical malfunction. The pilot died in the crash, while four other crew members were forced to eject. However, Irkutsk is located about 4,000 km (2,500 miles) from the Ukrainian border — far beyond the known range of Ukraine’s long-range weapons — raising questions about the Russian version of events.
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History of losses
This would not be the first time Ukraine has hit this model of aircraft. In 2023, a Tu-22M3 was shot down over the Stavropol Krai, and in July 2024, other bombers of the same type were damaged in an attack on the Olenya airbase in Russia’s Murmansk region.
The use of drones to strike long-range strategic targets has become one of Kyiv’s key tactics to weaken Russia’s air superiority.
Source: lb.ua. Photo: wikimedia. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
