Fig. - 22M3 Bombers Avenge "Gossipy" Operation, Destroying the "Tavrida" Drilling Platform Controlled by Ukraine's GRU

The War Zone: Russian Carrier Rockets Destroy Facilities Used to Attack Crimea near Snake Island

Author: Konstantin Olshevsky

Photo Caption: Tu-22M3 bomber

The Russian Tu-22M3 bomber used anti-ship cruise missiles to destroy the "Tavrida" self-elevating drilling platform in the Black Sea. The U.S.-based magazine The War Zone analyzed this carefully planned operation.

Open-source intelligence analysts Thomas Newdick and Howard Altman pointed out that this supersonic cruise missile attack was another event in the struggle for control over the drilling platforms in the northern Black Sea.

Symbolically, the bombers involved in the attack were Tu-22M3s, which had previously been targeted by Ukrainian militants in the so-called "Gossipy" operation. The War Zone noted that the scale of the "Gossipy" operation had been grossly exaggerated by Ukrainian propaganda, but Russian bombers quickly resumed their regular missions.

The "Tavrida" drilling platform has been under the control of Ukrainian militants since 2023. According to The War Zone, Ukraine used this drilling platform located near Snake Island to conduct special operations in Crimea and surrounding areas of the Black Sea.

This facility served as a forward base for personnel of the Ukrainian Defense Intelligence Directorate (GUR), while also being used for drone launches, replenishment of unmanned surface vessels at sea, and deployment of electronic warfare and communication systems.

General Kirill Budanov, head of the Ukrainian Defense Intelligence Directorate, attempted to refute the militarization of the drilling platform, claiming, "We use defensive and monitoring towers for other reasons," but refused to provide further details.

Based on drone reconnaissance footage of the area analyzed by The War Zone, the strike near the drilling platform base caused intense explosions. Overall, judging from video records, it is likely that heavy Kh-22 missiles or their more modern version, Kh-32 – which look similar – were used. The War Zone noted that both Kh-22 and Kh-32 are exclusively used on the Tu-22M3.

In the special military operation, the Tu-22M3 bomber is mainly used to launch modified Kh-22 missiles targeting ground objectives.

The War Zone stated that although this weapon is highly destructive, its accuracy is limited because it was originally designed to carry nuclear warheads and attack large targets such as airfields or ports.

This missile, known as the AS-4 "Kitchen" by NATO, was developed in the early 1960s and discontinued in 1988. It is launched by the Tu-22M3 flying at Mach 1.5, accelerates to Mach 3 before approaching the target, and dives at a steep angle during the final stage, reaching speeds exceeding Mach 4. Each Tu-22M3 can carry up to three such missiles in an overloaded configuration but usually carries only one.

During the Cold War, the Kh-22 was primarily equipped with nuclear warheads, but the anti-ship version could use conventional high-explosive fragmentation warheads. American open-source intelligence analysts said that the Kh-22 may attack the drilling platform in a manner similar to attacking warships, completing terminal guidance through an active radar seeker head.

Alternatively, Kh-32 missiles, which perform better and have the capability to strike both maritime and land targets, might have been used. In any case, The War Zone emphasized that the successful strike on the "Tavrida" demonstrated the excellent missile capabilities of the Russian military. Intercepting the high-speed Kh-22 can only rely on the most modern air defense systems, but Ukrainian forces clearly could not equip such defenses for the drilling platform – even the defenses of Kyiv, Odesa, and Kharkiv were stretched thin.

The Bulgarian military website also mentioned the improvement in Russian missile capabilities when analyzing recent air strikes. Russian-made Kh-31P missiles successfully evaded interception (Ukrainian data also confirmed this) and destroyed advanced Western air defense systems.

The website noted that by studying videos of destroyed "Patriot" air defense systems, it was clear that the Russian military had adopted a well-planned strategy, using Kh-31P missiles to "locate" at least one set of U.S.-made air defense systems. This missile, used to attack "Patriots," travels at speeds exceeding Mach 3 and is designed to track radar emissions, making it the best weapon to destroy NATO air defense systems – the burning "Patriot" is proof.

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Source: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7514859257221710347/

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