Launches took place: What missiles are the Russians firing from the Tu-95MS, and what kind of aircraft is it?

Russian Tu-95 strategic bombers are carriers of the Kh-101, Kh-555, and Kh-55 cruise missiles. These missiles are the main weapons used in massive missile strikes against Ukraine.

These aircraft are many years old, but they still pose a significant threat to Ukraine.

What is known about the Tu-95 aircraft, how many missiles does a Tu-95 carry, what kind of missiles are they, and what are the main characteristics of the Tu-95?

How many Tu-95 strategic bombers do the Russians have left, and how are the Defense Forces hunting down these “strategic bombers”? Read about it in this report from Channel 24.

Please note Flying Death: What Is Known About the Kh-101 Missiles Russia Is Using to Attack Ukraine

How many Tu-95MS are currently in service with Russia?

According to The Military Balance, as of the end of 2022, Russia had approximately 60 Tu-95MS aircraft at its disposal.

The actual number of combat-ready bombers of this type was significantly lower. The figure was approximately 45 Tu-95MS and 18 Tu-95MSM aircraft.

Before the full-scale invasion, Moscow had 42 Tu-95MS aircraft – according to estimates by international experts. At the same time, they believe that only about three dozen of these aircraft were actually operational. In addition, experts estimate that Russia had 15 Tu-160s.

Russia’s Tu-95 fleet is shrinking / Photo: Getty Images

At the start of the full-scale invasion, Russian forces deployed up to 20 Tu-95MS aircraft to carry out strikes on Ukrainian cities. Therefore, it appears that the actual number of combat-ready Tu-95MS aircraft is at most 50% of the number listed “on paper.”

These figures are influenced by natural wear and tear and the cannibalization of aircraft – dismantling some Tu-95s for parts and spare parts to be used on other, more promising ones.

How Ukraine Is Hunting Down the Tu-95

The Defense Forces have also joined in reducing the number of Russian Tu-95s.

On the night of April 5, 2024, Russian military airfields in Morozovsk, Yeisk, and Engels came under drone attack. According to sources cited by Channel 24, at least three strategic bombers – Tu-95MS – at the “Engels-2” military airfield likely sustained serious damage as a result of the UAV attack.

During the legendary "Spider Web" operation, at least eight Tu-95-class aircraft were hit. They were attacked by surprise at the Dyagilevo airbase in the Ryazan region, the Belaya airbase in the Irkutsk region, and the Olenya airbase in the Murmansk region.

Tu-95: Photo showing them burning at the Olenya airbase after strikes by Ukrainian drones / Photo – SBU

Later, a stylized silhouette of a downed Tu-95 appeared on a commemorative coin issued by the National Bank in collaboration with the SBU.

Commemorative coin dedicated to Operation “Spider Web” / collage – SBU

Thus, as of mid-2026, a total of 30 to 40 Tu-95MS and Tu-95MSM aircraft are in service. However, only about half of them are capable of performing combat missions.

In 2026, the simultaneous appearance of more than 10 Tu-95 aircraft in the sky is a great rarity; now, Russia typically deploys 4–6 such aircraft at a time, and sometimes as few as 1–2.

This may be due to a reduction in the number of aircraft, but also in the number of missiles. Furthermore, due to the increasing effectiveness of Ukrainian air defense and missile defense systems, the Russians are now constantly changing their tactics and no longer launch dozens of missiles at a time – wasting hundreds of millions of dollars in a single strike – but instead combine missile strikes with drones.

Russia is attacking Ukraine with Ukraine's own aircraft

Unfortunately, among the Tu-95 aircraft participating in Russian attacks against Ukraine may be strategic bombers that were previously Ukrainian. We have the Americans’ blackmail, the Europeans’ spinelessness, the short-sightedness of Ukrainian politicians, and the Russians’ treachery to “thank” for this.

Due to the Budapest Memorandum imposed on Ukraine, the country was forced to give up its nuclear weapons, and the strategic bombers capable of carrying them were handed over by the Ukrainian government as payment for Russian gas. Interestingly, the Cabinet of Ministers and the president pushed through this decision without consulting the Verkhovna Rada.

In detail Ukrainian Tu-160s and Tu-95MSs in Russia: Which High-Ranking Officials Were Involved in Their Transfer?

Let’s recall that at the time, Putin was still only the prime minister, and Yeltsin was the president. The president of Ukraine at the time was Leonid Kuchma, and the prime minister was Valery Pustovoitenko.

So it’s no surprise that in May 2026, Mr. Pustovoitenko once again fell for a scam. This time – over the phone. They swindled him out of 7 million hryvnias. The losses from the transfer of strategic bombers to the Russians, however, were significantly greater.

In the late 1990s and early 2000s, Ukraine transferred the following to the aggressor country:

• 8 Tu-160 bombers;
• 3 Tu-95MS bombers.

At that time, a portion of the Tu-22 bombers was also transferred; these had been allocated to Russia as part of its share in the division of the Black Sea Fleet.

Tu-95 – Capabilities and Development

The history of the Tu-95 dates back to the Soviet era. The Tu-95 was developed in the early years of the Cold War to deliver nuclear weapons over long distances.

Development of the Tu-95 began in the early 1950s and was carried out by the Tupolev Design Bureau. In fact, this is why the strategic bomber bears the “Tu” designation. According to NATO classification, however, it is known as the Bear.

Of course, the aircraft currently targeting Ukraine are not those built during the Stalin and Khrushchev eras, but later modifications and upgrades of the Tu-95, specifically the Tu-95MS.

The Tu-95 is a Soviet strategic bomber and missile carrier, designed as an analogue to the American strategic bomber, the Convair B-36 Peacemaker.

It can operate at any time of day and in any weather.

Its combat radius is 6,500 kilometers, which means that, unfortunately, these aircraft are striking Ukraine. Its flight range is 13,000 kilometers.

This range allows them to launch missile strikes from deep behind enemy lines without fear of being shot down. In other words, it allows them to act with impunity.

Key specifications of the Tu-95

• Type: strategic bomber
• Designer: Tupolev Design Bureau (USSR–Russia)
• Maximum speed of the Tu-95: 830 kilometers per hour;
• Crew: 7;
• Maximum takeoff weight – 190 metric tons;
• Engine power of the Tu-95 – 15,000 horsepower;

The aircraft is also equipped with four NK-12 turboprop engines.

Tu-95 price: According to the Aero Corner website, the estimated price of the Tu-95 is over $26 million.

Other aircraft in Russia’s arsenal

Russia’s strategic aviation fleet consists of more than just the Tu-95. It is difficult to estimate the exact number of aircraft currently in service with Russia.

Defense Express reported that as of early 2021, the Russian Air Force had 380 Su-27 heavy fighters, 267 MiG-29 light fighters of various modifications, 131 MiG-31 interceptors, 274 Su-24 front-line bombers, 125 new Su-34 aircraft, and 193 subsonic Su-25 ground-attack aircraft. In total, this amounts to 1,370 aircraft.

In addition, according to the same data, Russia has 124 heavy bombers (16 Tu-160s, 42 Tu-95s, and 66 Tu-22Ms) and 91 combat aircraft of the Russian Navy’s Naval Aviation (22 MiG-29K/KUB, 43 Su-27/33, 22 Su-24, and 4 Su-25), for a total of 1,585 aircraft.

This is more than China has, but still significantly fewer than the United States.

Tu-95 – Armament

The Russian Tu-95MS bomber, which carries nearly two dozen missiles (18), has a wingspan of 49 meters. The Tu-95’s offensive armament is impressive.

How many missiles does the Tu-95 carry (potential number of missiles on the Tu-95):

• 6 Kh-55 or Kh-555 missiles (they are housed in a “drum”)
• 8 Kh-101 missiles (mounted on pylons); following modernization, this number was increased to 12.

However, as of 2026, the Russians very rarely load all of these missiles onto a single Tu-95 at once; instead, they distribute the missiles among a larger number of aircraft. As a result, it often happens that missiles that could potentially be carried by a single Tu-95 are instead distributed among 4–5 aircraft.

This is evidence that the Tu-95’s operational capabilities are declining.

However, this is due not only to the Tu-95 itself reaching the end of its service life but also to a reduction in the number of missiles. The Russians have depleted their stockpiles and are now launching whatever they have just produced, without having had time to accumulate new missiles.

The Kh-101 missile weighs approximately 2,200–2,400 kilograms. Furthermore, it is one of the most expensive Russian missiles. The approximate price of a single missile is $13 million. By comparison, the “Kalibr” costs half as much.

Key specifications of the Kh-101

• Length: 7.4 meters;
• warhead weight – up to 960 kilograms;
• missile flight speed – up to 720 kilometers per hour;
• Guidance: the missile features terminal homing and an inertial guidance system with optoelectronic correction;
• Navigation based on the GLONASS system.

It is worth noting that our air defense systems sometimes have difficulty intercepting the Kh-101 due to its unpredictable flight path. After all, these missiles can change their target even after launch. In addition, the Kh-101 incorporates radar-evading technology.

Despite this, our air defense forces shoot down most Kh-101s. This is also facilitated by the deployment of powerful air defense systems such as IRIS-T and NASAMS.

Please note! Our intelligence has reported that Ukrainian experts have analyzed the guidance and navigation systems of Kh-55-type cruise missiles, as well as their variants – the Kh-555 and Kh-101. According to the analysis, Russia uses guidance units in its missiles that were developed in the 1960s and 1970s. These are manufactured by the Voronezh Radio Components Plant, the Minsk-based “Integral” plant, and other enterprises.

Note Flying Death: What Is Known About the Kh-101 Cruise Missiles and How to Counter Them

What are the specifications of the Kh-555 missiles?

The Kh-555 missile is also one of the variants of the Soviet strategic air-launched cruise missile Kh-55. Like the Kh-101, it is a long-range cruise missile.

Key characteristics of the Kh-555 missiles carried by Tu-95 aircraft:

• Guidance: in addition to inertial navigation, it features a full-fledged Tercom system with radio and optical channels, as well as satellite navigation;
• warhead weight – 200–400 kilograms;
• launch weight – 1,500 kilograms;
• cruising speed – up to 830 kilometers per hour;
• altitude – 40–110 meters;
• Accuracy: 100 meters;
• range – up to 2,000 kilometers.

It is worth noting that the Kremlin tested both the Kh-101 and the Kh-555 in Syria, ruthlessly killing civilians. It is now doing the same in Ukraine.

Tu-95’s defensive armament

In addition to missiles, the Tu-95 carries other armaments. The aircraft carries not only weapons capable of striking targets thousands of kilometers away but also defensive armament. These consist of two GSh-23 (AM-23) cannons mounted in the tail section of the “strategic bomber’s” fuselage.