World News @lemmy.world MicroWave @lemmy.world 1mo ago

Russia faces struggle to replace bombers lost in Ukrainian drone strikes

Russia will take years to replace nuclear-capable bomber planes that were hit in Ukrainian drone strikes last weekend, according to Western military aviation experts, straining a modernisation programme that is already delayed.

Satellite photos of airfields in Siberia and Russia's far north show extensive damage from the attacks, with several aircraft completely burnt out, although there are conflicting versions of the total number destroyed or damaged.

The United States assesses that up to 20 warplanes were hit - around half the number estimated by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy - and around 10 were destroyed, two U.S. officials told Reuters.

Ukraine @europe.pub tfm @europe.pub 1mo ago

www.reuters.com /business/aerospace-defense/russia-faces-struggle-replace-bombers-lost-ukrainian-drone-strikes-2025-06-06/

55 comments

Wouldn't it be funny if all these various nations just did a reverse uno and like 20 different nations started invading Russia and slicing it up for territorial gain?

Russia is so weak right now.
- My dream is a united EU assault on Moscow to dethrone Putin and the Oligarchs and, hopefully, return the nation to a less corrupt state.
  
  At this point, it could easily be done, except that Putin would nuke Europe (and probably everybody else) before going down. That is literally the ONLY reason it hasn't been done.
- 1 million saiga antelopes is already invading russia, to eat thier crops.
  
  I'm in ur base, eating ur crops.
- Wouldn't be funny at all.
  
  It may be the safest bet at dismantling this constant threat for good. Oftentimes the only way the bully learns is when they're pushed back twice as hard.
- If I learned anything playing Risk, is that you are fucked if you are in the lead.... And especially fucked if you go on an offensive.
- This is going to happen. The European age verification and messenger surveillance are preparations to control any remaining opposition for that war.
  
  Yawn.
- Nuked.
  
  Yes, with all those old soviet nukes that sre surely still around and not rusting away in old bunkers. I'm sure they fly just fine.
  
  How? Vlad gonna throw them..?
There are 20+ visual confirmations, so 40 might be close to the real number.

Slava Ukraine!
May Russia continue to suffer every struggle imaginable
- You mean continue as it has been for the last few hundreds of years, got it.
  
  Really, looking at world history I can't really find a time of which I think: oh, it would've been nice to be Russian back then!
  
  Being Russia(n) is just one giant cluster fuck and has been for a very long time. Or maybe not one giant, but several very big ones with small breaks of a few years in between.
  
  So I'm happy I live in NL.
- What’s fun, is that’s not AI. He was singing “where is thumbkin” which then goes down each finger “where is Pointer… where is Tallman….”
  
  I’m the video, that smile comes on as he says “Here is Tallman”, knowing what the gesture was.
  
  I always wondered about that gif. Thanks!
- I'll be taking that. Thanks.
Oh gee that sure is unfortunate. /S
everyone liked that
The US says it's 20, and in their new capacity as an official mouthpiece for the government of Russia, you can be sure that means it's 40. Maybe more.
"Rapist struggles to maintain an erection after victim shoots him in the dick."
At this point they might as well buy them from China.

Although it’s arguable whether it’s worth having strategic bombers anymore. If they only need a platform to launch cruise missiles there are over platforms that can do it.
- is the ccp even willingly to give them this much tech. also ccp might already got what they want out of the deal with russia some time ago. inroads into sibera for natural resources, buying thier oil at low prices.
  
  I mean they’d just be replacing decades old planes anyways. When was the last time anyone came out with a new strategic bomber anyways? I guess stealth bombers but China doesn’t even have one.
"...according to Western military aviation experts..."
- Well given some of the aftermath shows ashes we don't need experts to tell they RuAF got fucked.
  
  yeah, right
- What would you prefer?
Rad.

55 comments