A Tu-22M3 strategic bomber has gone down in Russia. This is the first strategic aircraft to be hit during the entire invasion of Ukraine

5 comments

1. Why is it assumed it was shot down?

2. I’m assiming this is friendly fire if location is accurate w/o other evidence. Still a great sight to see no doubt.

3. Putin never expected such a costly campaign against Ukraine!

4. Nice loss but outsite of the range of the Ukrainian ground based AA systems and no fighter jet on either site is anymore seen near to the frontline. Something seems to have smashed the tail of the jet (the rest seems to be OK, no leaking fuel e.g.), so most likely a hit by something smaller and IR seaking. And the damage is not too big, so likely nothing in the size of a S300/400, likely even not a BUK. Size of the damage fits to a Russian/Soviet made MANPAD (A Stinger will try to hit somewhere else at the jet and not the engines).

   Else, it will be in best case a short range ground based AA system like the Panzir, the warheads of the mid range systems are already to big and would do far more damage. But even this does not really fit.

   So my best bets: either firendly fire by a Russian soldier with a Russian/Soviet type Manpad, a Ukrainien team far behind the lines with a Soviet type Manpad or just an accident by a big catastrophic engine failure with parts penetrating the engine from inside and rupturing fuel pipes/hydraulic systems e.g. and loss by the fire/loss of systems.

5. I thought we discussed not posting links to your spam site