Satellite imagery from Planet Labs has confirmed the destruction of a Russian Tu-95 strategic bomber at the Engels-2 military airbase in the Saratov region following a long-range drone strike by Ukrainian forces.
The images, dated July 19 and published by the investigative project Schemes (Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty), show the aircraft sustained critical structural damage and appears to be effectively severed in half.
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The visual evidence corroborates statements made on Friday, July 17, by the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU). The agency reported that its long-range drones traveled approximately 800 kilometers to strike the airfield, causing the bomber’s tail section to be completely torn off.
According to the SBU, the operation was conducted to degrade Russia’s military and economic capabilities.
“The SBU systematically destroys important elements of the Russian war machine,” the agency stated on Friday. “Every strategic bomber eliminated means dozens of missiles that will not be launched at Ukrainian cities, saved Ukrainian lives, and tens of millions of dollars in irreparable losses.”
The SBU added that Russian strategic aviation can no longer operate safely even at its most remote airfields.
President Volodymyr Zelensky previously praised the operation in a national address, characterizing the strike as a successful “long-range sanction” against Moscow.
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“In particular, SBU forces destroyed a Tu-95 military aircraft in Engels that was used to launch missile strikes against our country,” Zelensky stated, describing the attack as a measure of “fair and active defense.”
The role of the Tu-95
The Tu-95, a Soviet-era design that first flew in 1952, remains a primary strategic missile carrier for the Russian Aerospace Forces. The aircraft is routinely utilized by the Russian military to launch cruise missiles, particularly the Kh-101, at targets across Ukraine.
According to military estimates from 2023, Russia operated 45 Tu-95MS bombers and 18 modernized Tu-95MSM aircraft. The bomber can carry up to six cruise missiles on an internal rotary launcher and boasts a maximum range of 13,000 kilometers. The estimated value of a single Tu-95 is over $26 million.
Military analysts note that the Tu-95MS carries out the majority of Russia’s long-range missile strikes against Ukrainian targets because it is considered more reliable and easier to maintain than the newer Tu-160 strategic bomber.
The Kh-101 cruise missiles launched by the Tu-95 have an estimated range of up to 5,500 kilometers and cost approximately $3 million per unit. Analysts state the missile is difficult to intercept due to its ability to maneuver and alter its flight path post-launch.
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