Ukraine drone destroys Russian Tu-95MS strategic bomber

A Ukrainian-made MICH 2000 long-range drone destroyed a Russian Tupolev Tu-95MS strategic bomber at the Engels-2 air base in the Saratov region. The drone, which costs approximately $48,000, reportedly severed the bomber’s tail section, an attack confirmed by satellite imagery.

The MICH 2000 is a flying-wing drone developed through the reverse-engineering of the Chinese ZTK-150. According to reports, Ukrainian developers used a covert intelligence tactic in late 2023: after being denied the opportunity to purchase manufacturing technology for the ZTK-150 from a Chinese factory, the team accepted pilot training instead. During this training, they systematically photographed the production lines to facilitate domestic replication.

While the drone's design is inspired by the Chinese model, the manufacturer stated that nearly all components—including engines, warheads, and fuselages—have been localized through Ukrainian suppliers, achieving 85% domestic content. The MICH 2000 features a 2,000 km range and can carry a 60 kg warhead. The drone was produced specifically for the SBU’s ‘Alpha’ special operations center.