9 Russian Tu-95 bombers take off, series of large explosions shake Ukraine

Russia's Tass news agency reported on December 29 that a series of large explosions occurred that morning in the capital Kiev, Ukraine.

“A series of very large explosions occurred in the Solomensky district,” a witness said.

Another added: “Black smoke could be seen in many places.”

A third witness told TASS that explosions were also heard in the Solomensky and Shevchenkovsky districts.

Black smoke rises in Kiev after an airstrike in Ukraine. (Photo: Reuters)

In a statement issued the same day, Kiev Mayor Vitaly Klitschko said that air defense systems were actively operating. Reports confirmed that several warehouses were on fire in the city's Podolsky district.

Meanwhile in Kharkov, the city suffered a Russian missile attack on the morning of December 29 with at least six explosions recorded, according to Reuters .

Air defenses are also active in the western Ukrainian city of Lviv, which was attacked by Russian drones, regional governor Maksym Kozytskyi said in a statement on social media.

Several explosions were also reported in the Dnieper, Odessa, the Kiev-controlled city of Zaporozhye, and the Khmelnitsky and Ternopol regions.

The explosions occurred as the Ukrainian air force detected at least nine Russian Tu-95MS strategic bombers taking off from the Olenya base in Murmansk, northwestern Russia, on the night of December 28 and early morning of December 29.

Air raid sirens were sounded in several Ukrainian regions, including Sumy, Poltava, Kharkov, Dnipropetrovsk, Donetsk, Zaporizhia, Kiev, Chernihiv, Cherkasy, Kirovohrad. By dawn, sirens were activated across the entire territory of Ukraine.

The Tu-95 is a Russian heavy strategic bomber, designed and manufactured by Tupolev. The aircraft is designed to perform attack missions, destroying the most important targets far and deep in the enemy's rear. Russia has upgraded the Tu-95 to the Tu-95MS to enhance its combat capabilities.

The Tu-95 uses four Kuznetsov NK-12MV turboprop engines with a total capacity of 59,200 horsepower, allowing the aircraft to operate at a maximum speed of 925km/h, a range of 15,000 km, and a ceiling of 12 km.

The Tu-95MS is equipped with a variety of weapons, such as: AM-23 23mm cannon; Kh-20, Kh-22 missiles; Kh-55 or Kh-55SM long-range cruise missiles. In addition, the aircraft can also carry FAB-250, FAB-500 and FAB-1500 combat bombs.

Hua Yu (Source: Reuters, Tass, Pravda)

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