Loss of Tu-22M3: Russia attributes incident to redeployment of airfield guards to frontline

Defense Express reported the information.

Following the loss of a Tu-22M3 long-range bomber at the Soltsy airbase in the Novgorod region, approximately 660 km from the Ukrainian border, the Russian military community was left questioning the incident.

The Russian Defense Ministry reported that a drone resembling a quadcopter was used in the attack, indicating that it was launched near the airbase itself. Normally, safeguarding against such attacks and sabotage actions falls under the responsibility of a dedicated security battalion tasked with protection and anti-sabotage duties.

However, it has come to light that all these units have been deployed to the front lines due to a shortage of personnel. This means that the Kremlin has drawn upon reserves originally meant to protect expensive aircraft specifically intended for potential conflicts with NATO.

As a result, the duty of guarding air bases has fallen on technical personnel. This situation has created ample opportunities for sabotage groups to exploit. This context sheds light on the remarkable event where a simple "quadcopter" managed to destroy a Tu-22M3.

“Each loss of such an aircraft for Russia carries immense consequences that extend beyond financial considerations. These aircraft are no longer in production, and there is no direct alternative. The Russian military's replacement option is the long-range PAK DA project, initiated in 2009. Even the modernization efforts to reach the Tu-22M3M level involve retrofitting old machines, and progress has been sluggish,” Defense Express concludes.