After attack on its bombers, Russia strengthens air defense with tires and Pantsir systems – intel

After the successful engagement of strategic aviation at the Russian military airfield Olenya in Murmansk Oblast, the Russians are trying to strengthen air defense to protect such objects, using not only equipment, but also improvised means, Andriy Yusov, a representative of the Main Intelligence of Directorate of the Ministry of Defense, said on national television.

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Asked how the enemy reacted to the damage of two bombers at Olenya by Ukrainian intelligence, Yusov said that there is information about a request to strengthen air defense. At this airfield in particular, anti-aircraft missile gun complexes Pantsir will be deployed.

"In general, others are also actively used, in particular, rubber devices for the protection of fighter jets and strategic aviation. In particular, we are talking about tires. Well, this is how they protect and are going to increase these improvised means – something that can be done without any high modern technologies," said Yusov.

The two engaged Russian Tu-22M3 strategic bombers were operational and directly involved in the strikes on Ukraine, given that they were immediately taken away for repair work, he added.

On July 27, a LIGA.net source in the Defense Forces reported that the Russian military airfields in Engels, Dyagilevo and Olenya, where a Tu-22M3 bomber was damaged, were attacked during the night and morning as a result of the Defense Intelligence operation.

After that, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked DIU for the accuracy at the distance of 1,800 km.

On July 30, the military intelligence reported that as a result of the attack on Olenya in Russia's Murmansk Oblast, two Tu-22M3 strategic bombers were damaged at once.