Russian strategic bomber forces have suffered unprecedented heavy losses. Ukrainian intelligence agencies successfully carried out a swarm drone attack on multiple key air force bases deep in Russian territory through meticulously planned behind-the-scenes infiltration operations, including several critical airports such as those in the Murmansk Oblast and Irkutsk Oblast.

01. Russian bombers destroyed one after another, with Ukrainian troops opening a new combat form using AI tactics.

This attack not only resulted in at least nine Tu-95MS and Tu-22M3 strategic bombers being successively destroyed, but also an unknown number of bombers were damaged. Ukraine's military operation revealed a brand-new asymmetric warfare model, which can be considered earth-shattering globally.

According to information personally disclosed by Zelenskyy, this drone attack lasted for over a year and a half, involving a total of 117 FPV suicide drones. Ukrainian intelligence personnel secretly transported these drones into Russia, successfully breaking through various layers of Russian defenses, and launched attacks from thousands of kilometers away from the Ukrainian border.

From the footage and photos released after the attack, Russian strategic bomber groups suffered severe damage. The majority of the damaged ones were Tu-95MS bombers, a type that Russia has already ceased production on, meaning each loss is irreplaceable. Fortunately, this strategic bomber is currently the oldest model still in service in the Russian Aerospace Forces. Additionally, two Tu-22M3 strategic bombers were also destroyed.

The only thing that could slightly comfort the Russian side was that its most advanced and expensive Tu-160 bomber was not destroyed by Ukrainian drones.

Overall, Ukraine's drone strike was the most successful military operation since the start of the war in 2022, revealing a brand-new asymmetric warfare model where AI autonomously identifies Russian bombers without the need for remote control, further validating the tremendous potential of AI technology in the military field.

For Russia, such extensive losses have made this event the "darkest day" for the Russian Air Force since the outbreak of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.

02. U.S. media strategic concerns: future China war may follow Russia's footsteps.

Interestingly, after Russia's strategic bombers suffered such heavy losses, concerns within the United States quickly escalated. Military expert Tyler from U.S. media War Zone quickly wrote an article expressing deep concern, believing that Ukraine's successful attack on Russian airfields was not an isolated incident but a successful operational template that could be widely replicated in future wars.

He pointed out: "For more than a decade, I have been warning that this scenario would eventually happen to U.S. military bases. What happened in Russia today may happen in the U.S. tomorrow."

Tyler clearly stated that the severity of the drone threat was being greatly underestimated by the U.S. military. The senior leadership had insufficient understanding of emerging drone combat methods, resulting in serious blind spots and misconceptions. He emphasized particularly that the current defensive measures of U.S. strategic bomber groups against small, slow, and low-flying drones were almost non-existent. If changes are not made promptly, they will pay a heavy price in future great power conflicts.

In particular, in the hypothetical scenario of U.S. military intervention in the "Taiwan Strait War," the rapid development and practical application level of drone technology by the Chinese People's Liberation Army far surpasses that of the Ukrainian army. Once U.S. strategic bombers and other high-value aerial assets are involved in the Taiwan Strait conflict, they will face even more devastating strikes than what Russia is experiencing today.

In short, the concerns expressed by U.S. experts are not groundless. When it comes to drone technology and the military domain, China is undoubtedly the world leader, having left the United States far behind.

The destruction of Russia's strategic bomber fleet in this incident is a demonstration of a military operational model with epoch-making significance. It is not just significant for the U.S. military; even for the Chinese People's Liberation Army, especially given the increasingly intense great power competition, how to respond to the rapid development and popularization of drone penetration tactics has become an urgent priority and cannot be taken lightly.

Parts of the content in the article are sourced from: 1. Ukraine reveals special actions against Russia, destroying 41 Russian strategic bombers, Guangming Network

Original text: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7511190134637724171/

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