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.

    • Redredme@lemmy.world
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      18 hours ago

      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.

  • lennybird@lemmy.world
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    2 days ago

    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.

    • ssillyssadass@lemmy.world
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      1 day ago

      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.

      • barneypiccolo@lemm.ee
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        22 hours ago

        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.

          • Maalus@lemmy.world
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            21 hours ago

            You said “my dream is”. So if dreams are comming true, I’m not dreaming of an assault on Russia, I’m dreaming of an end to all wars and sufferring.

          • Maalus@lemmy.world
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            21 hours ago

            Reality is there won’t be a unified assault on Moscow either, unless they do something really stupid. And they have done plenty of stupid things already and that hasn’t made anyone do much. People haven’t learned and are trying to appease all over again.

    • NeptuneOrbit@lemmy.world
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      1 day ago

      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.

      • ssillyssadass@lemmy.world
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        1 day ago

        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.

        • barneypiccolo@lemm.ee
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          22 hours ago

          If only a handful deploy successfully, it’s a major problem.

          I do hope a few blow up in the silos, and render vast swathes of Russia uninhabitable for centuries.

            • barneypiccolo@lemm.ee
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              21 hours ago

              Hopefully, but not guaranteed. The rockets aren’t all coming out of silos in Russian territory. A launch from a sub off a coastal target like DC, NYC, LA, SF, etc. might reach its target long before a missile defense weapon could target the threat.

            • someguy3@lemmy.world
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              23 hours ago

              Meant as you only need a few to get through. You seriously gonna tempt fate relying on a missile defence system? Only tens of millions dead on the line. Bunch of 14 year old very badasses on this site.

  • Valmond@lemmy.world
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    2 days ago

    There are 20+ visual confirmations, so 40 might be close to the real number.

    Slava Ukraine!

  • Supervisor194@lemmy.world
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    2 days ago

    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.

  • CookieOfFortune@lemmy.world
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    1 day ago

    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.

    • Ledericas@lemm.ee
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      1 day ago

      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.

      • CookieOfFortune@lemmy.world
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        1 day ago

        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.