What the Biggest Strike on Russian Air Bases Means for Russia’s Air Power

Multiple long-range Russian aircraft, including Tu-95 strategic bombers, were destroyed in coordinated drone strikes targeting Russia’s Olenya, Belaya, Dyagilevo, Ivanovo-Severny, and Voskresensk airbases. Preliminary estimates suggest Russia may have lost at least $150 million worth of irreplaceable aircraft in a single day.

The Gaze reports on this with reference to UNITED24 Media.

The strikes severely degraded Russia’s ability to project strategic power, especially via its long-range nuclear-capable bomber fleet and airborne surveillance assets. These aircraft are no longer in serial production and cannot be quickly replaced, compounding the damage for Russia’s military planners.

Multiple reports indicate that at least three or four Tu-95 strategic bombers—each worth an estimated $50 million—were destroyed in the attack, along with other critical aircraft. Those are Cold War-era giants designed to carry and launch Kh-55 and Kh-101 nuclear-capable cruise missiles with ranges exceeding 2,500 km (1,550 miles). Importantly, Russia has not built a new Tu-95 since the early 1990s.

The Tu-22M3, another aircraft reportedly targeted, plays a vital dual role in Russia’s long-range aviation fleet. Known for its supersonic speed (Mach 1.88) and long operational range of around 7,000 km (4,350 miles) with aerial refueling, the Backfire-C is capable of launching Kh-22 and Kh-32 cruise missiles, including nuclear payloads, against ground and naval targets.

Though unconfirmed, some reports suggest that a Tu-160 bomber may also have been present during the Olenya base strike. The Tu-160 is Russia’s most advanced strategic bomber, with variable-sweep wings and a massive weapons payload of up to 40,000 kg (88,000 lb). It can carry 12 Kh-102 nuclear cruise missiles, the nuclear-tipped version of the Kh-101, which has a range exceeding 5,000 km (3,100 miles).

One of the most significant confirmed losses is the Beriev A-50, an airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft designed to detect, track, and coordinate air and missile threats across vast distances. The A-50’s Shmel radar system can monitor up to 60 targets simultaneously at a range of over 600 km (370 miles), depending on target size and altitude. It plays a crucial role in airspace control, fighter coordination, and guiding long-range missiles, making it a vital command-and-control asset. The A-50 also supports Russia’s air defense network, helping link S-400 and S-300 systems during combat operations.

This latest strike doesn’t just weaken Russia’s ability to launch long-range attacks—it reveals a deepening vulnerability in its strategic deterrence infrastructure. All four aircraft types destroyed or damaged—Tu-95, Tu-160, Tu-22M3, and A-50—are aging Soviet-era platforms that are difficult or impossible to replace under current wartime and sanction constraints.

The consequences are not just military, but geopolitical. A weakened Russian bomber force emboldens NATO, especially on its eastern flank, and may create new space for political and military maneuvering by allied states. For Ukraine, these strikes signal an evolution in asymmetric warfare—where drones can now dismantle billion-dollar weapons systems from hundreds of miles away.

As The Gaze reported earlier, Ukraine’s Security Service has successfully carried out a high-impact special operation deep within Russian territory, striking at the heart of Russia’s military-industrial infrastructure and severely damaging strategic aviation assets. The covert mission, code-named “Spiderweb,” targeted multiple high-value military sites and has reportedly caused over $2 billion in losses to Russia’s air force.