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By Isabel van Brugen
News Reporter
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Satellite imagery circulating on social media shows Russia's military has covered the wings of a Tu-95 strategic bomber with car tires, as attacks on the country's airbases ramp up.
On Sunday, the satellite image, dated September 1, was posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, by user Tatarigami_UA, a self-described Ukrainian military officer in reserves. The user said Russian forces are deploying the tactic at the military airfield in Engels, some 500 miles (more than 800 kilometers) southeast of Moscow, to deter drone attacks.
One such attack last week destroyed four Russian Il-76 military transport aircraft stationed at an airfield in the western city of Pskov, near to Russia's borders with Estonia, Latvia and Belarus, according to Ukraine's military intelligence agency (GUR). It didn't claim responsibility, in line with Kyiv's policy of distancing itself from attacks on Russian soil.
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"Brace yourselves, because russians have once again showcased unparalleled innovation. What you are looking at is a satellite image featuring a TU-95 strategic bomber covered with car tires. According to them, this should protect strategic bombers from drones," wrote Tatarigami_UA.
"This doesn't seem to be just a single occurrence. In this satellite imagery, it seems the russians are still in the process of fitting tires onto the bomber – a fresh, budget-friendly version of ERA substitute for the russian air force?" the user added.
Newsweek couldn't independently verify the authenticity of the image and has contacted Russia's Defense Ministry via email for comment.
Some open-source analysis had previously said Russia was using another tactic to protect its military equipment.
Open-Source Intelligence (OSINT) and naval analyst H. I. Sutton said in June that Russia is attempting to disguise its Black Sea Fleet using camouflage tactics similar to those employed during World War II. The Russian Navy has painted the bow and stern of one of its two Admiral Grigorovich-class frigates in the Black Sea, the expert added, suggesting that this deceptive camouflage is likely a response to the drone threats.
The tactic is possibly "intended to confuse [Ukrainian] drone operators into mistaking it for a less valuable target," Sutton wrote in a report published by Naval News.
With Ukraine's counteroffensive in its fourth month, there have been a growing number of strikes on Russian soil.
On Sunday, the Ukrainian Military Center, a non-governmental organization (NGO) in Kyiv, published analysis of Tatarigami_UA's satellite image, saying it likely shows that "Russians are covering the wing and the central part of the plane with tires."
"It is not known whether such protection will be effective given the flammability of tires and the difficulty of extinguishing them," the center added.
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