Multiple Russian sources have confirmed a Ukrainian claim that a Russian Tu-22M3 strategic bomber was shot down by a surface-to-air missile Friday. This marks the first time a Soviet or Russian strategic bomber has been lost to hostile fire since World War II. The Tu-22, which has the NATO designation "Backfire," is a supersonic long-range strategic and maritime strike aircraft that entered Soviet service in 1969. It has a variable geometry wing that was state-of-the-art when it was designed. 

The Backfire has seen extensive service during the Ukraine war as an air-launched cruise missile platform. At least one Tu-22 was lost over Russia to mechanical or operator failure. Several more have been lost or damaged by Ukrainian drone attacks on their air bases in Russia.

BACKGROUND: 

Putin's War, Week 78. Prigozhin Crashes, Two Russian Bomber Bases and Moscow Hit by Drones

Putin's War, Week 96. Blowback From a Sunk Ship as Russia Launches Largest Missile Attack of the War

The typical mission profile has the Tu-22M3 launching missiles from points over the Black Sea or Kursk Oblast. The maximum range for the missiles the Backfire carries is from 320 miles (Kh-22) to 540 miles (Kh-32).

The first proof of the loss came in the form of video. Here, I will give Colonel (retired) Douglas Macgregor, a Putinist sockpuppet, the honor of making the announcement.

DEVELOPMENT: Russian long-range bomber crashes east of Crimea in Southern Russia.

pic.twitter.com/RaDeBaa74b

— Douglas Macgregor (@DougAMacgregor) April 19, 2024

FYI: A second Tu-22 turned around without launching its weapon. Also, the body of one of the crewmembers of the downed aircraft was recovered.#OSINT #UkraineRussiaWar #UkraineWar #UkraineKrieg #Ukraine #Russia

Re-Tweet Appreciated pic.twitter.com/S1Zpr7Lir4

— OSINT (Uri) 🇺🇸 🇨🇦 🇬🇧 🇺🇦 🇮🇱 (@UKikaski) April 19, 2024

The most likely system used here was the S-200, which first appeared in 1967 and was steadily upgraded over the years. Ukraine retired its S-200 batteries in 2013 but reactivated them in 2022. The system was designed to engage SR-71 reconnaissance aircraft and was nuclear-capable. 

⚡️"The 🇷🇺Russian Tu-22M3 bomber was hit by a 🇺🇦Ukrainian S-200 air defense system," sources of Channel 24 said. pic.twitter.com/jRKgxPPUy5

— 🇺🇦Ukrainian Front (@front_ukrainian) April 19, 2024

Ukraine's Armed Forces have released a video of the engagement from inside the command center. Take it for what it's worth.

Ukraine’s GUR military intelligence posts the video of what it says is the air defense crew shooting down the Russian Tu-22 strategic bomber, the first such downing since the war began. GUR said Ukraine struck the plane 300km away, using the same undisclosed means that downed the… pic.twitter.com/kwd6STn4o1

— Yaroslav Trofimov (@yarotrof) April 19, 2024

There was initial disbelief at the Ukrainian claim, but open-source information shows that the Backfire engagement happened at a range the S-200 is known to achieve. For instance, in 2001, Siberian Air Flight 1812 was shot down by an errant S-200 missile launched from a Ukrainian training range in Crimea. It crashed well over 350 kilometers from the launch site. The Tu-22M3 went down about 300km from Ukrainian territory. 

This is not the first long-range shot Ukraine has taken against high-value Russian assets. Russia has lost three aircraft at what would've been considered outside the range of Ukrainian air defense. The exact procedure the Ukrainians are using for target acquisition is unknown but it seems to depend heavily on Russian aircraft flying strategic missions following a very predictable routine in time and flight route.

BACKGROUND:

Russia Loses Two High Value Aircraft Near Ukraine and the Theories Abound 

Putin's War, Week 104. Second Anniversary of the 72-Hour Special Military Operation 

The video of the crash looks like the Tu-22M3 took a hit and limped toward home until it suffered a catastrophic engine failure.

This engagement is not a game changer but will make Russia's strategic bomber force much more cautious in future operations.