Russia has already lost 12 Tupolev Tu-95 bombers to Ukrainian attacks

Vladimir Putin's dictatorship is losing a large number of aircraft in the invasion of Ukraine, including some irreplaceable ones.

Ukraine's audacious long-range attack on several Russian bomber bases
The powerful cruise missile used by Russia to attack a children's hospital in Ukraine

This morning, the President of Ukraine announced that the Ukrainian Armed Forces had attacked the Engels airbase in Russia. The attack was carried out by the Alpha unit of the Security Service of Ukraine, and the target was a Tu-95MS missile carrier, a bomber used by Russia in its attacks against Ukraine, many of which targeted the civilian population.

❗A Russian Tu-95 was struck at Engels airfield - President Zelenskyy.

The Tu-95 is a missile carrier that is used for Russian attacks on Ukraine.

The aircraft was struck by Alpha unit of the Security Service of Ukraine. pic.twitter.com/lsctIToSOp

— Anton Gerashchenko (@Gerashchenko_en) August 28, 2026

Anton Gerashchenko has posted this video showing plumes of smoke rising from Engels air base. The video also shows a Ukrainian drone flying toward the base. At 12:50 PM CET, the Ukrainian channel AviVector posted this satellite image of the attacked aircraft, showing that it has lost part of its right wing.

The Tu-95, known as "Bear" by NATO, is a strategic bomber capable of carrying nuclear weapons. It made its first flight on November 12, 1952, and entered service with the Soviet Air Force in 1956.

The Tu-95MS is the most modern version of this bomber. It entered service in 1981 and can carry Kh-55 cruise missiles (above), a type of weapon used by Russia to attack a children's hospital in Kyiv two years ago.

It is estimated that the USSR manufactured more than 500 Tu-95s, but by 2020 only 55 remained in service with the Russian Air Force, all of them the Tu-95MS variant. According to the independent website Oryxspioenkop.com, which has been graphically documenting the losses of each side since the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Russia had so far lost 11 Tu-95s in Ukrainian attacks, 8 of them destroyed and 3 damaged on the ground. This is an aircraft whose production ended in 1993 and which is now beyond repair given the level of damage it has sustained at the hands of Ukrainian forces in recent hours.

Ukrainian attacks on Russian air bases are highlighting the limited effectiveness of Russia's air defenses against drone attacks carried out by Ukraine. Russian bases, including those housing strategic bombers, have become vulnerable targets. In addition to those 12 Tu-95s, Russia has also lost 12 Tu-22M3 strategic bombers in Ukrainian attacks, 9 of them destroyed and 3 damaged. While the Tu-95 is the Russian equivalent of the American B-52, the Tu-22M is a more modern jet bomber, which entered service in 1972.

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Main photo: Marina Lystseva. Rest of the photos: AviVector / Royal Air Force / Военно-воздушные силы России.