Russia Moves Unprecedented Number of Strategic Bombers to Far East to Evade Ukrainian Drones

Russia has concentrated nearly its entire strategic bomber fleet, totaling 47 aircraft, at the Ukrainka air base in the Amur Oblast on the Far East.

Large Fleet Concentration

On Sunday, November 8, the Ukrainian outlet Defence Express reported on these movements of Russian aviation, located near Seryshevo close to the Chinese border. Satellite imagery analyzed by the account AviVector revealed this movement, marking what Ukrainian media describe as an unprecedented concentration of long-range aviation since the 2022 invasion, representing all Tu-160 and Tu-95 bombers currently at the Kremlin’s disposal.

The deployment adds nine additional bombers, including eight Tu-95MS and one Tu-160, to the Far Eastern facility since the beginning of November. Kresy.pl noted that the aircraft likely sit on open parking stands without physical shelters to protect them from potential strikes.

Infrastructure Delays in Engels

Iwan Kyryczewski, an analyst with Defence Express and a soldier in the 413th Raid Regiment of Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems Forces, evaluated the situation for Kresy.pl. He assessed that the Russian command found moving the bombers easier than providing proper protection at Engels.

“Wygląda więc na to, że Rosjanom rzeczywiście łatwiej jest przebazowywać swoje nieliczne bombowce strategiczne na odległość niemal 5,4 tys. kilometrów w jedną stronę przed każdym zmasowanym uderzeniem, niż zbudować niezawodne schrony ochronne w bazie Engels,”

said Kyryczewski, as reported by Kresy.pl.

Operational Implications

Historically, concentrating these strategic bombers signaled impending mass missile attacks against Ukraine. However, stationing the aircraft thousands of kilometers away—specifically about 5,400 kilometers from their previous operational area—places them beyond the reach of current Ukrainian long-range drones, as Russian leadership apparently concluded that long-range Ukrainian bezpilotowce are not yet capable of striking targets located so far away.

Analysts remain uncertain whether this mass redeployment to the Far East will be long-term or how it will affect the cadence of future missile strikes.