“Week-long ambush” preceded historic Russian Tu-22 bomber downing, Ukraine intel chief says, confirming S-200 use

Ukraine’s spymaster has confirmed the successful downing of a Russian Tu-22M3 Backfire-C strategic bomber, marking the first such incident in the ongoing Russo-Ukrainian war, and provided details of the operation, confirming the use of the Soviet-era S-200 surface-to-air missile.

The operation, carried out jointly by Ukraine’s military intelligence and air forces, targeted the bomber, which was capable of carrying Kh-22 missiles used in strikes against Ukrainian cities.

Ukraine's Intelligence (HUR) says the Russian Tu-22M3 strategic bomber was shot down at a distance of 300 km by the same means that were previously used to shoot down the A-50 long-range detection aircraft. After the damage, the bomber flew to the Stavropol region, where it… pic.twitter.com/pMBFWFCnIA

— Euromaidan Press (@EuromaidanPress) April 19, 2024

Details of the operation

Kyrilo Budanov, the chief of Ukraine’s Main Intelligence Directorate (HUR) told BBC Ukraine that the operation involved a week-long “ambush” where Ukrainian forces waited for the Russian bomber to reach the desired range.

“We waited for a long time, prepared, and finally succeeded,” Budanov said, describing the successful downing of the Tu-22M3.

The strategic bomber was hit from a distance of 308 km, using the same tactics and means employed in the previous downing of a Russian A-50 radar aircraft, Budanov revealed.

Media sources: Ukraine used old S-200 long-range SAM system to down Russia’s Tu-22M3 strategic bomber for the first time

Ukrainian Air Force spokesman Ilia Yevlash said:

“Everything happens for the first time. We shot down a Kinzhal [hypersonic ballistic missile] for the first time, and a Zircon [hypersonic cruise missile] for the first time. Now we have shot down a Tu-22 for the first time. Now we are waiting for the Tu-95 (another strategic bomber used by Russia, – Ed.),” he told Radio Liberty.

There are speculations that the crashed Russian Tu-22M3 could have been hit by Ukrainian air defenses.

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