Relocation.

This is coolbert:

Ukrainian drone attack damages two Russian Backfire Tu-22M3 bomber aircraft. Half the surviving force relocated to the Kola peninsula of the far north in response.

"Russia relocates Tu-22M3 bombers to Kola Peninsula after drone attack"

"During Saturday, at least six Tu-22M3 aircraft have been relocated from the Soltsy-2 air base in Novgorod region to the Olenya air base on the Kola Peninsula."

From https://thebarentsobserver.com | the story by Thomas Nilsen | August 19, 2023.

"The Olenya Air Base south of Murmansk is again seen as a safe location for bombers from airports hit by Ukrainian drones."

"Soltsy-2 was in the early morning hit by a drone. Russia’s Defense Ministry confirms the attack and says one aircraft was damaged due to a fire, Interfax reports."

"A Ukrainian war blogger reports on Telegram about two Tu-22M3 being damaged."

"Soltsy-2 air base is located some 650 kilometers [about 400 miles] north of Ukraine and is home to the 840th Heavy Bomber Regiment. Russia has frequently used Tu-22M3 bombers to launch attacks on civilian targets in Ukraine."

"According to our information, there is damage to at least two sides of the Tu-22m3 at Soltsy. According to the latest data, about 10 Tu-22m3 units were stationed at the base airfield." Thanks here google translate Ukrainian to English that original input from war_monitor!

Only a limited number of those long-range bomber warplanes in the Russian inventory. Tu-95, Tu-160, Tu-22M3. 

Seek safe haven. The loss of even a few of these warplanes I can well imagine not lightly taken by the Kremlin. The fact the planes destroyed not on mission but on the ground both an injury and an insult.

coolbert.