One of the Tu-22M3 long-range bombers that launched a missile attack against Ukraine on the night of April 19 was shot down as a result of a special operation by the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine in cooperation with the Air Force. This was reported on the official DIU website.
“The enemy Tu-22M3 aircraft was successfully shot down approximately 300 km from Ukraine using the same means that previously hit the Russian long-range radar detection and control aircraft A-50,” the statement reads. “As a result of the strike, the bomber managed to reach the Stavropol region, where it crashed.”
Внаслідок успішного ураження Ту-22М3, інший літак який летів з ним в парі був вимушений розвернутись, а це означає, що низка ракет не була випущена по Україні, – представник ГУР МО Юсов в етері Радіо.Свобода. pic.twitter.com/wwx8ipwtid
— Антонів Олександр (@1945Antonov) April 19, 2024
The DIU noted that this is the first successful destruction of a strategic bomber in the air during a combat mission amid Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Such aircraft serve as carriers of X-22 missiles. “For every war crime committed against Ukraine, there will be fair retribution,” the statement added.
On the night of April 19, 2024, Russian occupiers launched a combined missile strike, utilizing various types of missiles and strike UAVs. As announced on the official page of the Command of the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, within this attack, the enemy deployed 36 aerial attack assets, including 22 missiles of various types and 14 strike dr
among which were:
- 2 X-101/X-555 cruise missiles from Tu-95 MS strategic aircraft (launch area – Ryazan)
- 14 Shahed-131/136 strike UAVs (from the areas of Primorsko-Akhtarsk, Kursk region)
- 12 X-59/X-69 guided missiles (launched from Kursk region and from the Sea of Azov)
- 2 “Iskander-K” cruise missiles (from the Crimea)
- 6 X-22 cruise missiles from Tu-22M3 long-range strategic bombers (from the Black and Azov Seas).
Zenith missile troops of the Air Force, mobile fire groups, and units of the Electronic Warfare (EW) Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine were involved in repelling the enemy’s aerial attack. As a result of the air battle, our military destroyed 29 aerial targets, including:
- 2 X-101/X-555 cruise missiles
- 14 Shahed-131/136 strike UAVs
- 11 X-59/X-69 guided missiles
- 2 X-22 cruise missiles.
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