In the case of confirmation of information about serious damage to three Tu-95MS strategic bombers at the Russian airfield "Engels-2" during the drone attack, the Russian Federation could have lost about 5% of these aircraft.
Analysts calculated how many planes the Russian Federation could lose after drone attacks on airfields
The Institute noted that strikes by Ukrainian drones are usually carried out only on individual air bases in Russia. Ukraine's ability to attack three airbases in one series of strikes is a "significant shift in capabilities."
Russian forces regularly use Tu-95 strategic bombers stationed at the Engels Air Base to launch X-101/X-555 cruise missiles at targets in Ukraine.
According to ISW estimates, as of 2023, the Russian Federation had approximately 60 Tu-95 aircraft.
If this is confirmed, the possible loss of approximately five percent of Russian Tu-95 strategic bombers in one strike will be significant, the report says.
The Institute previously noted that the loss of aircraft for Russia is not insignificant, as it probably has about 300 different Su-type aircraft. Russian forces now use these aircraft to deliver guided and unguided cruise bomb strikes along the entire front line in Ukraine, and previously used greatly enhanced cruise missile strikes to achieve tactical advantage.
Constant Ukrainian strikes on Russian airfields will impair the ability of the Russian Aerospace Forces (VKS) to launch missile and air strikes across the entire territory of Ukraine, experts say.
Attack on airfields of the Russian Federation
On the morning of April 5, the Russians announced a drone attack of more than 50 drones on several regions of the Russian Federation. Explosions rang out in Engels, where there is an airfield, in Kursk, Morozovsk and Yeisk.
According to the sources, as a result of the drone attack, at least three Tu-95MS strategic bombers at the Engels-2 airfield were probably seriously damaged. Seven occupiers died there, among them may be bomber pilots.
Another object of attack was the military airfield in the city of Yeisk. As a result of strikes by Ukrainian drones, at least four occupiers were destroyed there and two enemy Su-25s were completely burned up.
Also, the interlocutors reported the damage to another airfield in Kursk. Details about the results of this attack have not yet been reported.
