Russia reportedly stole dozens of Tu-95MS bombers from Kazakhstan in 1992 using a devious scheme that enabled it to exchange its outdated models for Almaty’s more modern aircraft.
The theft, largely unknown until now, reportedly boosted Moscow’s bomber fleet by one and a half times and has gone unpunished for over three decades.
“The Russians stole up to 40 Tu-95MS aircraft from Kazakhstan by deception, and this was 1.5 times more than the Russian armed forces had at that time,” according to the Ukrainian military issues outlet Defense Express. “This story has remained little known, in part because the Russians have masterfully ‘covered their tracks’.”
Tu-95MS bombers (NATO: Bear) are long-range strategic bombers that have played a key role in Russia’s war on Ukraine, frequently used to launch cruise missile attacks on cities and infrastructure.
According to Defense Express, Russia ceased production of the Tu-95MS at the Kuibyshev Aviation Plant in February 1992. At the time, Moscow could not continue building these bombers and only had an estimated 22-27 of them in service.
In contrast, Kazakhstan had 40 Tu-95MS bombers - 27 of the MS-16 variant, capable of carrying missiles on external pylons, and 13 of the MS-6 variant, which carried missiles internally. Ukraine also had 21 Tu-95MS bombers, all of the MS-6 variant.
The bombers in Kazakhstan were under the command of the 79th Heavy Bomber Aviation Division, but the country reportedly lacked full control over the aircraft – something Russia allegedly exploited.
There are several theories as to how the “heist” unfolded. One version says that during routine joint flights between Kazakhstan’s Semipalatinsk-2 and Russia’s Ukrainka airfields, Russian pilots swapped modern Tu-95MS aircraft for much older Tu-95K models without Kazakhstan’s knowledge. Once the exchange had occurred, it was too late to undo.
Another theory claims that Russia simply refused to release Kazakh aircraft after they landed on Russian territory, retaining the bombers and sending back obsolete models, or nothing at all. Russian sources admit that at least 16-18 aircraft were “appropriated” in this way.
Details remain murky: it’s unclear how many bombers were actually transferred, whether some were training variants or newer Kh-22 missile carriers, and what happened to the aircraft afterwards.
As Defense Express writes, “The story above may seem hazy, but it shows how Russia stole the ‘core’ of its strategic aviation – and got away with it.”
Russia moves strategic bombers to remote Siberian base
Open-source analyst MT Anderson posted satellite images on May 5 showing ten Russian Tu-95 strategic bombers stationed at Belaya Air Base in eastern Siberia. The base, located about 85 kilometers from Irkutsk and over 4,000 kilometers from Ukraine, was a key Soviet bomber site during the Cold War.
Analysts believe the move is a response to Ukrainian long-range drone strikes that have recently hit other bomber bases like Olenya and Engels, damaging aircraft and missile stockpiles.
The Tu-95, first flown in 1952, has a range of 12,000 kilometers - far enough to strike Ukraine or NATO territory from Siberia. With refueling, the aircraft can fly even farther.
Moving about a quarter of Russia’s Tu-95 fleet to Belaya puts them out of reach of Ukrainian drones while allowing for flexible attack routes, as outlined by Kyiv Post military experts.
They suggest this deployment not only protects the bombers but also enhances Russia’s ability to project power toward NATO, China, and North Korea.