We disagree. In the US even “old” strategic bombers are extremely useful. And so are Russians. They are used as MRE’s (missile ranger extenders) and are loaded with as many cruise missiles as it is possible.I would not go as far as to claim a "mortal blow". Depending on who you believe, it is a moderate to heavy blow to the bomber wing of the triad. However, strategic bombers - especially old ones - are of questionable utility in a full-scale nuclear war, and moreover Russia relies mainly on land-based ICBMS for its nuclear deterrence (which perhaps explains why they would risk their strategic bombers in a conventional war with Ukraine).
I do not expect this attack to trigger a nuclear war.
Half of Russias operational fleet has just been wasted. Given their age and the production long shut down and even from areas no longer under Russian control, each airframe is irreplaceable. Quite frankly they no longer posses the airframes to provide worldwide deterrent and attacked missions with strategic bombers. That to me is a mortal blown. I don’t believe they’ll ever recover. I don’t believe they’ll even try. I think they’ll be replaced with drones and ballistic missiles launched from land, sea and perhaps from drone carriers. it’s mortal because it’s the end of man bombers, providing an equal of their triad.
Those airframes cannot and will not be replaced, in my opinion.
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