After Drone Raid, Russia's Bombers Fled 3,700 Miles East - Too Far To Hit Ukraine

91% of Russia's strategic bombers are now parked at an airfield in the country's far east, 3,700 miles from Ukraine - too far to attack and, the Russians fervently hope, too far away to be hit by Ukrainian drones or saboteurs. 

The result has been a noticeable decline in the use of such bombers to hurl missiles that are far more powerful than drones at Ukrainian civilian targets. Which means that the surprise Ukrainian drone attack in June accomplished its goal. JL

David Axe reports in Trench Art:

The Russian Tupulev Bear bombers that survived the Ukrainian drone raid last month have fled east, away from Ukraine—and now appear to be flying less often and firing fewer missiles at Ukrainian cities. The Ukrainian raid destroyed 11 Russian air force Tupolev bombers—seven propeller-driven Tu-95s and four jet-propelled Tu-22Ms— meaning the Russian air force might have only 44 flyable Tu-95MS Bears remaining. In other words, the Ukrainian raid achieved its strategic goal. 

The Russian Bear bombers that survived the Ukrainian drone raid last month have fled east, away from Ukraine—and now appear to be flying less often and firing fewer missiles at Ukrainian cities. 

In the aftermath of the June 1 smuggled drone raid that destroyed 11 Russian air force Tupolev bombers—seven propeller-driven Tu-95s and four jet-propelled Tu-22Ms—the air force might have 44 flyable Tu-95MS Bears.

And now no fewer than 40 of them are sitting out in the open at one air base: Ukrainka, in Amur Oblast 3,700 miles from Ukraine. They’re not just juicy targets—they might be the juiciest targets at this moment in Russia’s 41-month wider war on Ukraine.

 

In other words, the Ukrainian raid achieved its strategic goal.