Russia is preparing 13 bombers and 400 Geran-2 UAVs in response to Ukraine.
The Russian Aerospace Forces have completed the deployment of Tu-95MS and Tu-160 bombers, along with hundreds of UAVs, in retaliation for the attack on President Putin's residence.
The Russian Aerospace Forces (VKS) have completed the final preparations for a large-scale coordinated attack on Ukraine. This is seen as a retaliation after Russia accused Ukraine of using drones to attack President Vladimir Putin's residence in the Novgorod region in late December last year.
The scale of the forces involved in the attack.
According to data from the Russian General Staff, the forces involved in this attack included 10 Tu-95MS Bear-H strategic bombers and 3 Tu-160 Blackjacks. Notably, Russia planned to deploy at least 400 Geran-2 drones along with a large number of other modern weapons systems.
In addition, military sources indicate that Russia may use a combination of high-precision guided missiles. The list of weapons is expected to include Kalibr cruise missiles, Iskander-M tactical ballistic missiles, and Kh-47M2 Kinzhal hypersonic missiles to optimize penetration of enemy defenses.
Context and reasons for the action
The retaliatory attack was launched after Russia provided evidence that Ukraine had launched a total of 91 drones to attack President Putin's residence from multiple directions. Although Kyiv denied involvement, Moscow asserted that all of these drones were intercepted by Russian air defense systems in the area surrounding the target.
In particular, Russia has emphasized its commitment to launching a strong retaliatory strike targeting critical infrastructure. Currently, Ukrainian intelligence and military forces are working to identify potential targets that the Russian military might aim for in the near future.
Operational objective analysis
Although the exact timing of the retaliatory strike has not been revealed, Western military experts believe the likelihood of Russia attacking the Ukrainian government headquarters in Kyiv is low. Instead, the focus of the attack may be on other strategic targets.
Specifically, the Russian Armed Forces are likely to concentrate their attacks on Ukrainian military aid depots, ports, and logistical centers. More importantly, Ukraine's energy infrastructure is projected to remain a key target aimed at undermining the Kyiv government's ability to sustain its defenses.
