It is reported that the attack on the airport where the Russian strategic bomber was stationed at the beginning of this month attracted a lot of attention, and also made many people question whether the Russian military's "defensive capabilities" were lacking. At that time, the Ukrainian drone traveled 600 kilometers and bombed the Diaghilev Air Force Base in Ryazan Prefecture and Engels Airport in Saratov Prefecture, Russia, killing three people and injuring many others. At least one Russian Tu-22M strategic bomber was damaged. Although Russia announced that all incoming drones were "successfully shot down" and that the bomber was damaged by debris, multiple reports did not accept this statement and considered the attack "successful."
The news mentioned that the drone that attacked the Russian airport was believed to be a modified Tu-141 unmanned reconnaissance aircraft . It was originally a piece of equipment that was nearly obsolete and was manufactured in the Soviet era. Although the range was very long, its speed and airborne equipment were very backward. Russian media believe that the intelligence and information support provided by Western countries to Ukraine is the key point. The European and American satellite even photographed strategic targets such as Russian airports at close range. Ukraine can know which airports have strategic bombers parked and participate in attacks. Russia even threatened to "shoot down all satellites cooperating with Ukraine", but in the end it did not implement it. This is undoubtedly very difficult.
Some analytical reports believe that there is no effective anti-drone system in Russia, which is why Ukraine has repeatedly succeeded. The only way for the Tu-141 UAV used by Ukraine to avoid radar is to fly at low altitude, and it is easily exposed across hundreds of kilometers across the border and can be caught with the naked eye. However, intercepting this weapon requires a long-range locking system that integrates strike and discovery, and requires joint "precision tracking" and guided destruction in multiple regions. Russia is not equipped with these integrated systems, so basically there is no time to intercept until it is discovered. In the end, the drone repeatedly reached important targets such as strategic bombers and detonated, causing great losses.
It is also worth mentioning that because the Russian military kept the results of this attack highly confidential, foreign media did not investigate information that "can confirm the loss of fighter planes." What exactly happened at Engels Air Force Base is still unclear. Currently, because the West has issued a "global arms embargo" order on Russia, it is also very difficult for Russia to import integrated anti-drone equipment from abroad. Some commentators said: "As long as Ukraine succeeds, they will launch more similar actions in the future, and drones may become the main means of attacking the homeland. The only thing Russia can do is to 'cover up' its strategic weapons and keep moving them, otherwise it will suffer more and more losses with the help of Western satellites."