Forbes calculated the number of Tu-22M bombers remaining in Russia.

Yesterday, a Russian Tupolev Tu-22M bomber crashed in the Usolsky district in eastern Russia, 2700 miles away from Ukraine. According to Forbes, this incident resulted in the loss of nearly 10% of the Tu-22M fleet in Russia. Before the invasion of Ukraine, there were about 60 upgraded versions of these bombers in Russia. However, by this time, the Russian Air Force had lost four of these aircraft - one crashed, one was shot down, and two were destroyed or severely damaged by strikes from Ukrainian drones.

Despite the risks associated with flying old Tu-22M aircraft, Russia does not plan to stop attacks on Ukraine. They still have enough surviving Tu-22M bombers, as well as other types of bombers that can be used for bombing in the future. However, these losses will significantly impact Russia's ability to terrorize Ukraine.

Analysis and Context

These recent losses in the Tu-22M fleet of Russia, including cruise missiles, will greatly limit their capacity for attacks on Ukraine. However, it is worth noting that Russia has other types of bombers that can be used. The political conflict between Russia and Ukraine continues, and the situation remains tense.