MID Shows How They Shot Down Russian Tu-22M3 Strategic Bomber

A unique video has been published.

Ukrainians have destroyed the Russian nuclear bomber Tu-22M3 for the first time.

This was reported by the commander of the air forces of the Armed forces of Ukraine Lieutenant General Mykola Oleshchuk.

"For the first time anti-aircraft missile units of the Air Force in co-operation with the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine have destroyed a long-range strategic bomber Tu-22M3," he shared.

Oleshchuk added that this aircraft is a carrier of Kh-22 cruise missiles, with which the enemy hits peaceful cities of Ukraine.

"During today's attack, two such missiles were destroyed for the first time. Ukraine needs more means, more missiles to protect better from Russian terrorism frontline territories," the commander stressed.

According to him, on the night of April 19, the Russian occupants launched a combined strike with missiles of various types and attack drones. In total, the enemy used 36 means of air attack - 22 missiles of various types and 14 attack drones:

2 X-101/X-555 cruise missiles from Tu-95 MS strategic aircraft (launch area is Ryazan - RF.);

14 Shahed-131/136 strike drones (from the areas of Primorsko-Akhtarsk, Kursk region - RF.);

12 Kh-59/X-69 guided missiles (Kursk region and from the Sea of Azov); 2 Iskander-K cruise missiles (from Crimea);

6 Kh-22 cruise missiles from Tu-22M3 long-range strategic bombers (from the waters of the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov).

The commander noted that the air defence forces of the Air Force, mobile fire groups and electronic warfare units of the Ukrainian Defence Forces were involved in repelling the enemy's air attack.

According to him, as a result of anti-air fighting 29 air targets were destroyed: 2 Kh-101/X-555 cruise missiles; 14 Shahed-131/136 attack drones; 11 Kh-59/X-69 guided missiles; 2 Kh-22 cruise missiles.

The Defence Ministry's Main Intelligence Directorate also commented on destroying the enemy plane and showed a fragment of a video of the operation.

The intelligence reported that it was possible to shoot down the Tu-22MZ bomber at a distance of about 300 kilometres from Ukraine by the same means with which the Russian A-50 long-range radar detection and control plane was hit earlier.

"Due to the defeat, the bomber was able to fly to the area of Stavropol, where it fell and crashed. We note that this is the first successful destruction of a strategic bomber in the air during a combat sortie within Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine," the Defence Ministry's MID stressed.