Ukrainian Long Range Aviation
The Long Range Aviation Group, was a military organisation, subordinate to the Central High Command of the Ukrainian Air Force, which included the long-range aircraft of Ukraine. Ukrainian Long Range Aviation was disbanded in 2007.
History
After the fall of the Soviet Union, the Ukrainian Air Force was left with three air armies, which included 30 Tu-16 missile carriers, 33 Tu-22KD missile carriers, 30 Tu-22R reconnaissance aircraft, 36 Tu-22M3s, 23 Tu-95MSs, 19 Tu-160s, 20 Ilyushin IL-78 aerial refueling aircraft, as well as large stockpiles of missiles: 1,068 Kh-55s and 423 Kh-22s.In 1992 Ukraine also received much of the Soviet Black Sea Fleet, including the 2nd Guards Maritime Missile Aviation Division, with three regiments of maritime attack Tu-22M2s and an independent Maritime Reconnaissance Aviation Regiment of Tu-22Ps. The 1995/96 edition of the Military Balance continued to list the remnant of these forces under now-Ukrainian Naval Aviation. In 1994 Tu-22M2s, Tu-16Ks and a large part of the Tupolev Tu-22Ps were put in storage and then dismantled.
The reasons for the elimination of Ukrainian long-range bombers included:
- The deep economic crisis in the Ukraine after the collapse of the USSR
- Pressure from the U.S. State Department on Ukraine
- Lack of support from production plants and design bureaus which remained in Russia
- Reduction in the size of the armed forces resulting in the loss of experienced pilots and supporting personnel
- Life expectancy of some aircraft components and assemblies had expired
Long-Range Aviation Base Places
| Regiment/brigade | Base | Aircraft type | Comments |
| 251st Heavy Bomber Aviation Regiments | Bila Tserkva Airport | 27 Tu-16K | |
| 199th Reconnaissance Aviation Regiment | Nizhyn Air Base | ~30 Tu-22R/RDK/P/U | Last flight of the Tu-22 in July 1998. On February 22, 1999, transferred to the Ministry of Emergency Situations and renamed 300 Special Aviation Squadron MOE. |
| 1006th Heavy Bomber Aviation Regiments | Uzyn | 23 Tu-95MC | |
| 409th Aviation Regiment of tanker aircraft, | Uzyn | 21 Il-78 | Since 1993, some of the Il-78 were disposed of their refueling equipment and used as cargo aircraft, the other ones were sold to Algeria, India, Pakistan and China, where they are used for air refueling operations. |
| 184th Guards Heavy Bomber Aviation Regiment | Pryluky Air Base | 19 Tu-160 | Unit was finally disbanded in November 2000 |
| 185th Guards Heavy Bomber Aviation Regiment | Poltava Air Base | 18 Ту-22M3, 6 Tu-16P | Unit was finally disbanded in 2006. In February 2006, at the Poltava military airfield, the last Tu-22M3 bomber Ukrainian Air Force was cut. In 2007, a museum was created on the territory of the former airbase thanks to the enthusiasm of former military pilots. |
| 341st Heavy Bomber Aviation Regiment | Ozerne Air Base | ~30 Tu-22K/KP/P/U | Last flight of the Tu-22 in 1997. In 1997-1998 Tu-22 relocated to Nizhyn Air Base where all planes was cut till 2001. |
| 260th Heavy Bomber Aviation Regiment | Stryi Air Base | 18 Tu-22M3, 23 Tu-16K | In 1993, the regiment was disbanded, Tu-22M3 relocated to Pryluky Air Base, and Tu-16 withdrawn from service. |