Russian Tu-22M3 long-range strategic bomber shot down for the first time (video)

During an attack by Russian Tu-22M3 strategic long-range bombers, one of them was shot down and the second was forced to turn around. Andrei Yusov, a representative of the Defence Ministry's Main Intelligence Directorate (GUR), told Radio Liberty on 19 April.

An aircraft of the enemy's strategic aviation was destroyed. For the first time during a combat mission, actually in the air during the period of the full-scale invasion. So another aircraft that was following it was forced to turn around. And this means that a number of missiles were not fired at Ukraine," Yusov said.

He noted that the distance for shooting down this time was about 300 kilometres from the Ukrainian border.

The operation was a certain repetition, taking into account the recent GUR operation to shoot down the A-50 aircraft. The distance this time was even greater. Let me remind you that we are talking about 300 kilometres from the Ukrainian border. This is indeed a landmark operation and a landmark result for Ukraine," Yusov stressed.

The GSD stressed that this was the first successful destruction of a strategic bomber in the air during a combat sortie during the Russian Federation's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.