Breaking News: First Operational Use of Tu-160 Bombers by Russia To Strike Ukraine After Tu-95 Destruction.

Russia has, for the first time since the beginning of its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, deployed Tu-160 strategic bombers to conduct missile strikes on Ukrainian territory. This operational shift was confirmed on June 6, 2025, by the Ukrainian Air Force and relayed through the open-source intelligence account @mil_in_ua on the social media platform X. According to this report, two Tu-160 bombers participated in a formation of seven Russian strategic aircraft that launched a coordinated strike, firing a total of 36 Kh-101 long-range cruise missiles toward targets across Ukraine.
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The Russian Tu-160 strategic bomber, known as Blackjack, is the world's largest and fastest supersonic bomber, capable of delivering up to 12 Kh-101 cruise missiles over a range exceeding 7,000 kilometers. Its variable-sweep wings and Mach 2 speed make it a formidable platform for long-range precision strikes in contested airspace. (Picture source: Vitaly Kuzmin Blog)

This marked a major departure from Russia’s standard reliance on Tu-95MS bombers for such missions. The Tu-160s, known by NATO as “Blackjack,” had not previously been used in direct combat missions in the Ukraine conflict and were typically reserved for strategic deterrence roles due to their operational costs and complexity.

This unprecedented deployment follows closely on the heels of Operation Spider’s Web, a high-impact covert drone offensive executed by Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) on June 1, 2025. During this operation, 117 first-person view (FPV) drones were launched against five heavily fortified Russian airbases deep inside Russian territory: Belaya, Dyagilevo, Ivanovo Severny, Olenya, and Ukrainka. The operation aimed to neutralize Russia’s strategic air strike capabilities and was described by Ukrainian defense officials as a breakthrough in deep-target warfare. The SBU reported that over 40 Russian military aircraft were damaged or destroyed in the coordinated assault. Among the targeted aircraft were Tu-95MS, Tu-22M3, and Tu-160 strategic bombers, as well as at least one A-50 airborne early warning and control aircraft.

Visual evidence from the drone footage circulating on social media showed FPV drones hitting the wings of Tu-95 bombers parked on tarmacs, specifically striking near vulnerable fuel tanks. Subsequent drones followed to amplify the destruction, indicating a high level of precision and tactical planning. These strikes dealt a significant blow to the operational readiness of Russia’s aging fleet of Tu-95MS bombers, long the mainstay of its long-range missile capabilities.

In response to the diminished availability of Tu-95MS bombers, the Russian military appears to have been compelled to resort to the more sophisticated but less frequently used Tu-160s. The Tu-160, with its variable-sweep wings and supersonic capability, can carry up to 12 Kh-101 cruise missiles and is designed for deep-penetration strike missions. However, its high maintenance requirements and operational costs have historically limited its role to deterrent patrols and demonstrations of strategic force.

Compared to the Tu-95MS, the Tu-160 represents a significant leap in performance and design philosophy. While the Tu-95MS is a turboprop-powered aircraft introduced in the 1950s, offering subsonic flight and extended endurance, the Tu-160 is a jet-powered, supersonic heavy bomber first introduced in the 1980s and built for high-speed, high-payload missions. The Tu-160 has a top speed exceeding Mach 2 and a combat radius of approximately 7,300 kilometers without refueling. It also benefits from reduced exposure time to air defenses due to its speed, making it a more survivable platform in contested environments. In contrast, the Tu-95MS, though reliable and capable of carrying a similar missile load, is slower and more vulnerable to modern air defense systems.

The decision to commit Tu-160 bombers to active combat missions also aligns with Russia’s broader strategy of intensifying bombardment against Ukraine amid a critical stage in the war. Facing mounting battlefield pressure and renewed Western military assistance to Kyiv, Moscow appears intent on maintaining momentum by sustaining long-range missile attacks against Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, air defense systems, and command centers.

The strategic objective is to degrade Ukraine’s warfighting capabilities ahead of anticipated counteroffensives and to erode civilian morale through continued power outages and disruption. The operational debut of the Tu-160 bombers by Russia to strike Ukraine not only reflects a tactical necessity in light of aircraft losses but also signals the Kremlin’s commitment to escalate its aerial campaign as part of a prolonged war of attrition.