Ukrainian Drone Attacks on Russia's Nuclear-Capable Bomber Fleet: A New War Pattern

After more than two years, the Russia-Ukraine war has evolved into one of the 21st century's most asymmetrical and technologically advanced conflicts.

- DR SYED MOHAMMAD RAGHIB

Ukraine's daring use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to strike deep inside Russian territory, directly targeting key installations that were previously thought to be untouchable, is one of the most important tactical developments. In particular, Ukraine's drone attacks against Russia's fleet of nuclear-capable bombers represent a significant departure from conventional wisdom in modern warfare.

These assaults reveal weaknesses in Moscow's military infrastructure in addition to showcasing Kyiv's increasing technological capabilities. This conflict, which was formerly dominated by conventional military tactics and weaponry, is now being used to test a new, asymmetrical style of combat.

Russia's Strategic Bomber Fleet: Backbone of Nuke Deterrence
Russia has one of the world's biggest and most sophisticated fleets of bombers with nuclear weapons. The Tupolev Tu-95MS "Bear-H," Tupolev Tu-160 "Blackjack," and Tu-22M3 "Backfire" are important aircraft. These Cold War-era aircraft, which have undergone constant modernization, are based at important air bases such as Olenya (Murmansk), Engels-2 (Saratov Oblast), Dyagilevo (Ryazan), and Soltsy (Novgorod Oblast).

The Federation of American Scientists estimated that as of early 2022, Russia had more than 66 strategic bombers, including 55 Tu-95MS and 11 Tu-160s. These bombers are essential to Russia's nuclear triad, as they can unleash nuclear-tipped cruise missiles with a range of more than 2,500 kilometers. These aircraft serve as platforms for long-range precision missile attacks on Ukrainian infrastructure in addition to being tools of nuclear deterrence. Therefore, Russia's operational and strategic capabilities are greatly impacted by its capacity to threaten or destroy them.

Timeline of Key Drone Attacks