Russia’s bomber fleet consists of three types: 60 Tu-22Ms, 42 Tu-95s, and 16 Tu-160s. The Tu-22Ms are smaller, shorter-range, and until recently, carried mainly dumb bombs and anti-ship missiles. The Tu-95 and Tu-160 are larger and require longer runways, bigger taxiways, and more space for maintenance, fuel, and weapon storage. This limits their deployment options.

The Soviet Union built numerous bomber bases during the Cold War, but many are now outside of Russia. Of the 10 bases Russia uses, three have been attacked by Ukrainian drones: Angles-2, Dijilava, and Poletino. The other bases, such as Sukhoch, Osteroff, and Kamenrushi, are either in disrepair or have been disused. The safest base, Urangka, is 6,000 kilometers away, but its bombers would still require long, exhausting missions.

The limitations of Russian bomber operations include: longer-range missions, higher maintenance demands, increased risk of discovery, and loss of surprise. Ukrainian intelligence knows when Russian bombers take off, prompting an air raid alert. Even if Russia were to redeploy to another base, it would take months. Currently, a temporary base would only be viable for a short time.

Osterov, a used base, hasn’t seen bombers since its regiment was disbanded in 2010. Olenya is 2,000 kilometers from Ukraine, but has seen a few Tu-160s and Tu-95s recently. The problem doesn’t just affect Russia; the US and China also struggle with this issue.

Another option for Russia is to spread out the bombers, like they did in late November, just before the first attack. This is shown in a photograph taken just an hour after a third reported attack, with no visible damage. However, the same issue persists: a potential attack could still damage multiple planes. Air defense is also a challenge, as the S-400 systems are effective against high-flying aircraft, but less useful against lower-flying cruise missiles. Shorter-range, point defenses are necessary to detect and intercept cruise missiles quickly.

The difficulties in air defense are evident in the failed attempts to shoot down Ukrainian drones. Russian sources claim they have successfully shot down multiple drones, but the exact number is unclear. In conclusion, Russia’s limited options for moving its bombers, logistical challenges, and air defense issues make it a difficult situation for the Russian military.