Russian bombers, ex‑Ukrainian, wreak Havoc with old deals

Twenty-five years ago, Ukraine handed over missiles and strategic bombers to Russia. In return for the transferred weapons, Moscow canceled part of the debt for gas.

In the first part of the investigative cycle "Schemes," evidence was found that Russia's army is bombing Ukrainian cities with the Kh-55 cruise missiles handed over in 1999.

Journalists report that the strategic bombers, which Ukrainian authorities handed over to Russia a quarter-century ago, are currently in active combat service with the Russian army.

Journalists determined this by analyzing the serial numbers of the aircraft in the agreement found in archives from that time, data from international aviation registers, and comparing them with the bombers' numbers that— according to Ukrainian intelligence—are currently used by the Russian army.

On July 8, 2024, Russia conducted a massive missile attack on Kyiv.

One of the missiles struck the largest children's hospital in Ukraine, "Ohmatdyt." At that time, hundreds of children and their parents were inside.

The Security Service of Ukraine, Ministry of Justice, and analysts concluded that it was a deliberate attack with a Kh-101 cruise missile. The carrier of these missiles was a strategic bomber.

After the attack on "Ohmatdyt," a Russian pilot approached the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense, providing data that led to the identification of commanders and pilots of the 22nd Heavy Bomber Division. GUR deems this division "responsible for numerous casualties and destruction in Ukraine" caused by missile attacks.

The bomber pilots were also identified. One of them is Aleksey Pechkariev, previously identified as the commander of the Tu-95MS "Izborsk" aircraft. During the full-scale invasion, he was the head of the combat preparation section of the 22nd Bomber Division. In the summer of 2022, at a rally supporting the so-called special military operation, he stated that Russian "soldiers on the ground and in the air are destroying revived Nazism."

"Izborsk," commanded by Pechkariev, is a former Ukrainian aircraft, which previously had the side number "8." After being transferred to Russia in 1999, it was renamed.

Pechkariev's name, based on data from Ukrainian intelligence, also surfaced in the media after a missile attack on the "Tiras" residential complex in Odessa in 2022. At that time, eight residents of the complex were killed, including a pregnant woman and a three-month-old child.

Firstly, Ukraine handed over these weapons—just as earlier with its own nuclear arsenal—not to an enemy, meaning not to the current imperialistic Russia, but to a country that even the West viewed as a completely responsible strategic player and a trustworthy partner. Secondly, there was nothing unique or exclusive about the transferred weapons, stated the then-president of Ukraine, Leonid Kuchma.

One of the aircraft identified by "Schemes" in Russia is a Ukrainian bomber, which before the transfer had the side number "10." In Russia, it was named "Nikolai Kuznetsov."

Another pilot of this aircraft, identified by "Schemes," is Oleh Skitsky. A Russian commander likely led the bomber attack on Kyiv on April 28, 2022, as previously reported by "Schemes." On that day, a journalist from Radio Svoboda, Vira Hyrych, was killed by a Russian missile.

Ukraine transferred planes, missiles, and equipment valued at $275 million to Russia in exchange for the cancellation of gas debts. Among the transferred items were 11 bombers, 575 Kh-55 cruise missiles, spare parts for bombers, and ground and electronic equipment.

According to the Investigative Commission of the Verkhovna Rada, the value of the transferred armament was underestimated— Ukraine suffered losses of about $2.5 billion. Documents found in the archives indicated that there was a possibility to sell three Tu-160s to an American company for $7 million. The planes were to be used for launching satellites into low orbits. However, the project was not realized.