Russia is using bombers it received from Ukraine in 1999, RFE/RL reports

On November 27, 2024By Pranco

Russia is actively using at least six Tu-160 bombers that Ukraine gave to Russia in 1999 as payment for its gas debt, an investigation by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) Schemes revealed on November 26.

The research also identified pilots who flew the planes and carried out missile attacks on Ukraine. Russia regularly uses its strategic aviation to attack cities and infrastructure across Ukraine.

Ukraine handed over the Tu-160 supersonic heavy bombers in 1999 as part of a larger debt payment for Russian gas. The journalists identified the planes by comparing their old serial numbers in archives and aviation registers.

RFE/RL was also able to identify some of the pilots who flew these planes against Ukraine, such as Oleg Skytskyi, a soldier from the 22nd Aviation Division, who, according to Ukrainian Military Intelligence (HUR), is “responsible for numerous casualties and destruction in Ukraine.” , one of which they probably launched a missile that killed an RFE/RL journalist on April 28, 2022 in Kiev.

In the 1999 arms transfer, Kiev transferred eight Tu-160 and three Tu-95MS heavy bombers to Moscow, as well as 575 Kh-55 cruise missiles, with Russia writing off $275 million in gas debts, 10% of the real value of the assets. .

The transferred Kh-55 missiles were also used against Ukraine previous research shown by Radio Free.

The Tu-160 strategic bombers are among the largest combat aircraft ever deployed, but are only used sparingly due to maintenance problems. They were the latest heavy strategic bombers designed in the Soviet Union, capable of carrying conventional and nuclear weapons.

Their last use was on November 17, when Russia launched one of the largest airstrikes on Ukraine, killing seven civilians and damaging the energy network.