Russia Moves Tu-160 Bombers Near Alaska to Shield Them from Ukrainian Strikes

In a surprising move that blends military strategy with geopolitical tension, Russia has relocated its powerful Tu-160 strategic bombers to a far eastern base near the U.S. border. The deployment places these long-range aircraft just 500 kilometers from Alaska — a shift that highlights Moscow’s urgent need to protect its bomber fleet from Ukraine’s growing drone threat.

Satellite images have confirmed at least two Tu-160 bombers at the Anadyr airbase, also known as Ugolny, situated in Russia's Chukotka region. The base lies more than 6,600 kilometers from the war-torn zones of Ukraine and is so isolated that it depends on air transport and seasonal maritime routes for supplies, with no road access.

This relocation is a direct response to the damage caused by Ukraine's “Spider Web” drone campaign, which has successfully targeted several Russian bomber bases, including Engels and Olenya. These attacks have severely threatened Russia's limited fleet of Tu-160s — aircraft that are both expensive to maintain and symbolically significant as part of the country’s nuclear triad.

What makes this decision especially noteworthy is the strategic irony: to protect its bombers from Ukrainian attacks, Russia is moving them closer to the United States — its long-standing adversary. The relocation places these assets within reach of American radar systems, intelligence surveillance, and potential interception forces. It’s a risky calculation that reflects how drastically Russia’s priorities have shifted. The Kremlin now sees drone raids from Ukraine as a more immediate danger than the proximity of U.S. military forces.

While Tu-160s saw limited action throughout 2023 and early 2024, their use in missile strikes has increased in recent months. Ukrainian sources have reported cruise missile launches by these bombers on May 26 and June 6, and intelligence indicates Russia may be preparing for another wave of strikes between June 9 and 12.

Operating from Anadyr, however, brings its own difficulties. The base’s remoteness makes regular resupply, fueling, and maintenance operations more complex and expensive. Still, Russia appears willing to accept these logistical challenges to ensure its bombers are safe from further Ukrainian sabotage.

In effect, by placing its bombers so close to American territory, Russia is making a dual statement: it feels vulnerable at home but remains defiant on the global stage. The move illustrates Moscow’s evolving military strategy — one where survival from drone strikes has now taken precedence over Cold War-era deterrence logic.