Russia launches missile strikes on Ukraine every week. In total, according to the Ukrainian Air Force, the aggressor has fired more than 8,000 missiles at Ukraine over the past 2.5 years. A third of them — more than 3,000 — are Kh-101 and Kh-55/Kh-555 cruise missiles, launched from strategic bomber aircraft, the Tu-95 and Tu-160, developed in the Soviet era.
Interestingly, such aircraft were once in service in Ukraine, but the country chose not to use them because it is not an aggressive state, and maintaining them was too expensive. However, some of these bombers remain in Ukraine as museum exhibits.
JOIN US ON TELEGRAM
Follow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official.
The Kyiv Post goes to Poltava to see what Russia is using to bomb Ukraine. We’re not going alone — joining us is former US Air Force pilot Christopher Stewart, who has logged several thousand flight hours on the F-16. We want to hear his assessment of these combat machines! Here, these planes are very well maintained and look nearly new.
Konstantin Polishchuk, the museum’s supervisor, shows us the first exhibit — the Tu-95. This turboprop bomber began development during Stalin’s time and was intended as a competitor to the American B-52.
“The Tu-95 made its first flight in 1955. It’s a long-serving aircraft in Soviet aviation. For the first time, the USSR created a plane capable of performing strategic tasks. It was built to deliver nuclear strikes on the United States. It was supposed to have a range of up to 12,000 kilometers, but this wasn’t enough to fly to the U.S. and return. The plan was to drop bombs on U.S. territory and abandon the plane, hoping search teams would rescue the crew,” Polishchuk explained.
However, the aircraft was constantly modified. Refueling in mid-air became possible, extending its range. This particular aircraft is equipped with the latest generation MS variant of the bomber.
“Such aircraft are still in service with Russia, and it uses them to carry out missile strikes on Ukraine. They’ve added pylons under the wings to carry missiles,” Polishchuk told us.
Inside the plane, what we see is astonishing. Despite being supposedly a “latest generation” aircraft, it looks more like a relic from the Second World War — manual controls are everywhere, and automation is minimal.
Christopher Stewart is surprised, comparing it to planes from the late 1940s.“It looks more like a B-29 or something even older. Yes, it has an interesting engine configuration — it’s a turboprop, not jet-powered, so, it can fly far. But honestly, I’d rather have this as my target and shoot it down,” the American said.
The lack of automation means more crew members are required — this plane has a crew of seven, including a gunner at the tail, reminiscent of the B-17 “Flying Fortress” from WWII.
“The crew consists of seven people: six in the front, and one — a radio operator and gunner — in the rear, who communicates with the rest of the crew via an airplane intercom. The cockpit has two pilots — a commander and an assistant. The commander is assisted by a communications specialist responsible for all communications equipment. The right-seat pilot works with the flight engineer, who monitors the aircraft’s engines and systems,” Polishchuk explained.
This aircraft was equipped with an emergency egress system, but not a modern ejection seat. Instead, the crew had to leave via a tow truck-style ladder in case of an emergency.
“The plane doesn’t have an ejection system. In the center aisle, there’s a ladder for the crew to exit through a hatch in case of an accident,” Polishchuk noted.
We are particularly interested in the missile operator’s seat — the place where those committing war crimes sit. Christopher points out that this aircraft could never compare to the B-52, largely because such planes require extensive modernization and maintenance, which the Russians don’t perform. This is evident from the fact that Russia’s air force currently has only a little over 20 of these aircraft still operational, compared to more than 40 at the beginning of the full-scale invasion.
“The U.S. still operates the B-52, which began flying in 1952. The difference is that America continually upgrades these planes — modernizing weapons, electronics, and control systems — so even though they’re 70 years old, they remain modern,” Stewart said.
Next, we view the Tu-160, a fully jet-powered long-range bomber developed in the 1980s as an alternative to the American B1B. Only a few were produced, and Russia currently has just 18 of these bombers. This particular plane is the only museum exhibit of its kind in the world.
“This aircraft was one of 19 Tu-160s delivered to the Soviet Air Force between 1981 and 1990. They were based at Pryluky in a heavy bomber regiment. Of those, Ukraine handed eight to Russia, scrapped ten, and turned this one into a museum exhibit,” Polishchuk told us.
The Tu-160 was designed for high speeds, with variable-sweep wings. However, Russia now uses it primarily as a missile platform to launch Kh-55 missiles at Ukraine.
“In the center of the plane are two bomb bays, which house rotating launchers for six cruise missiles each. When launching, the bay doors open, the navigator releases a missile, and the launcher rotates to prepare the next one. Six missiles can be fired in one minute, and the full payload of 12 missiles is launched in two minutes,” Polishchuk explained.
Inside, the plane is cramped and loaded with electronics, overseen by a dedicated crew member.
“The first right navigator is responsible for navigation and missile use. He oversees missile launches. The left navigator manages the aircraft’s power supply systems and defensive measures, including electronic countermeasures,” Polishchuk added.
The Tu-160 crew consists of four people, including two pilots. The commander’s position is unique, as instead of the typical yoke, the plane is controlled by a fighter-style stick.
“Damn, this plane is huge!” exclaimed Stewart.
However, in his view, this aircraft, built in 1990, looks more like something from the 1960s.
“The radars and electronics are like those in an F-4 from the late 1950s or early 1960s. It doesn’t look like a 1990s aircraft at all,” Stewart said, adding that many of the systems could have been automated. However, in Russia, most Tu-160s still fly in this outdated configuration.
“Much could be automated — most controls, levers, and switches. For example, you could combine engine and flight controls, so you don’t have to constantly move your eyes around the cockpit,” Stewart suggested.
Polishchuk added that the Tu-160 is an extremely expensive aircraft, and Russia has built only one new one in the past 30 years. As a result, it still relies on outdated Tu-95s for strikes on Ukraine, despite their increasing unreliability.
“Russia is using aircraft that are nearing the end of their service life. These planes are both technically and morally outdated, but they can still serve as missile platforms,” Polishchuk said.Our American colleague noted that it’s impressive to see such old models in good, well-maintained condition. But he emphasized that the museum should eventually display different aircraft — symbols of Ukrainian valor.
“I’m looking forward to the day — maybe 10 years from now — when Ukraine is a leading member of NATO. And I know we’ll see F-35s with the Tryzub tailflash here – after the F-16s help us win this war in Ukraine,” Stewart said hopefully.
