326th Heavy Bomber Division
Division Overview and Role
The 326th Heavy Bomber Aviation Division is a formation of the Russian Aerospace Forces Long-Range Aviation (Dalnaya Aviatsiya). It commands strategic and long-range bomber units in Russia’s Far East, centered on Ukrainka Air Base in Amur Oblast. Core missions include nuclear deterrence, conventional long-range precision strike, maritime strike in support of the Pacific Fleet, and strategic patrols over the Arctic and Pacific approaches.
Headquarters and Primary Garrison
Headquarters is at Ukrainka Air Base, Amur Oblast. Ukrainka is one of Russia’s principal heavy-bomber airfields, with a long concrete runway (approximately 3.5 km), expansive parking aprons, taxiway network, and dispersal areas suitable for sustained Tu-95MS operations. The airfield is linked by road and rail to the Trans-Siberian corridor via nearby Belogorsk, facilitating fuel and materiel delivery. The base has supported year-round bomber activity since the Soviet era.
Force Composition and Equipment
Open-source reporting identifies the following units under the division: 79th Heavy Bomber Aviation Regiment (military unit 62266) equipped with Tu-95MS; 182nd Guards Heavy Bomber Aviation Regiment (military unit 75715) equipped with Tu-95MS; 200th Heavy Bomber Aviation Regiment (military unit 35020) operating Tu-22M3 and supported by An-12, An-30, and An-26; and the 181st Separate Mixed Aviation Squadron operating An-12, An-30, and An-26 in support roles. The 79th and 182nd are co-located at Ukrainka Air Base. The 200th is widely reported to be based at Belaya Air Base in Irkutsk Oblast.
Historical Unit Changes and 444th Regiment
Historically, the 444th Heavy Bomber Aviation Regiment operated Tu-22M3 from Vozdvizhenka Air Base (Primorsky Krai) under the division. During the 2009–2011 restructuring, open sources indicate the 444th regiment was disbanded and its aircraft withdrawn or reassigned. As of 2024, there is no credible public evidence of a reactivated 444th Heavy Bomber Aviation Regiment. Russian Long-Range Aviation underwent several organizational changes in 2009–2011 and mid-2010s that converted some regiments into air bases and later restored regiment designations.
Tu-95MS Strategic Bomber Capabilities
The Tu-95MS is a turboprop strategic missile carrier with intercontinental range exceeding 10,000 km. It employs Kh-55 and Kh-55SM cruise missiles (NATO AS-15 Kent) and has been adapted for conventional Kh-555 and long-range Kh-101 and nuclear Kh-102 (NATO AS-23 Kodiak). Standard carriage includes an internal rotary launcher for six Kh-55-series missiles; upgraded configurations add external pylons for additional missiles, including up to eight Kh-101 or Kh-102 on Tu-95MSM. Typical cruise speed is about 750–800 km/h at altitude; crew is seven; propulsion is by four Kuznetsov NK-12 engines. The Tu-95MSM modernization adds updated avionics, navigation, defensive aids, and NK-12MPM engines, improving weapons employment and reliability.
Tu-22M3 Long-Range Bomber Capabilities
The Tu-22M3 is a supersonic variable-geometry bomber optimized for maritime strike and theater-range land attack. It can carry anti-ship and land-attack missiles such as Kh-22 Burya and the modernized Kh-32, as well as guided and unguided bombs. Maximum weapons load is up to approximately 24,000 kg; typical combat radius is on the order of 2,000–2,400 km, depending on payload and flight profile; maximum speed approaches Mach 1.8–2.0 at altitude. The aircraft is nuclear-capable. Under New START definitions, Tu-22M3 is not categorized as a heavy bomber.
Transport and Support Aviation
An-12, An-26, and An-30 aircraft provide logistics lift, personnel movement, aerial photography and cartography, navigation-aid calibration, and liaison tasks. The An-12 is a medium transport (payload around 20 tonnes) suited to moving engines, munitions, and spares within theater; the An-26 is a light STOL transport for regional resupply; the An-30 is a specialized aerial survey platform. These aircraft enable sustainment and flexibility for bomber operations across the Far East.
Infrastructure Capabilities at Ukrainka Air Base
Ukrainka’s infrastructure supports multiple heavy-bomber regiments concurrently. The airfield includes extensive open aprons with individual hardstands for large aircraft, a taxiway network enabling simultaneous movements, POL storage and fuel-distribution systems, workshops and maintenance bays, and areas for weapons handling consistent with cruise-missile units. The layout supports intra-airfield dispersal and winter operations typical of the Amur region.
Associated Sites and Basing
Belaya Air Base (Irkutsk Oblast) is widely reported as the home station of the 200th Heavy Bomber Aviation Regiment and is configured for Tu-22M3 operations. Vozdvizhenka Air Base (Primorsky Krai), previously associated with the 444th regiment, no longer hosts an active Tu-22M3 regiment per open sources. Long-Range Aviation units may operate from other Far Eastern airfields for training or dispersal; specific dispersal locations and timelines are not publicly disclosed.
Operational Employment Patterns
Division units conduct strategic patrols and long-range training over the Sea of Okhotsk, the northwestern Pacific, and Arctic approaches. Tu-95MS flights from the Far East are regularly reported by the Japanese Ministry of Defense during transits around Japan’s periphery, prompting routine scrambles by the Japan Air Self-Defense Force. Since 2015, Tu-95MS bombers have launched long-range cruise missiles in combat operations, including strikes in Syria and, since 2022, in the war against Ukraine. The Russian Ministry of Defense does not consistently identify originating regiments for strike sorties; attributions should rely on official releases or verifiable imagery.
Arms Control and Nuclear Context
Tu-95MS bombers are counted as heavy bombers under New START and historically are equipped for nuclear-capable cruise missiles. On 21 February 2023, the Russian Federation announced suspension of participation in New START verification and notifications; nevertheless, the treaty framework remains the basis for classifying heavy bombers. Tu-22M3 bombers are not treated as heavy bombers under New START. Custody and storage of nuclear weapons are under the 12th Main Directorate of the Ministry of Defense; specific sites, inventories, and procedures are not public.
Readiness and Activity Indicators
Public indicators of activity at Ukrainka and associated sites include the presence and arrangement of aircraft on open aprons in commercial satellite imagery, NOTAMs and temporary airspace restrictions for training, and air-defense reporting from neighboring states regarding long-range flights. Seasonal runway clearing and apron maintenance at Ukrainka reflect winter operations. Exact aircraft counts, alert postures, sortie rates, weapons loading schedules, and real-time deployments are not publicly released.
Logistics and Sustainment
The division leverages rail connectivity to the Trans-Siberian corridor for bulk fuel and materiel throughput. On-base technical units conduct routine maintenance; depot-level overhaul and modernization for Tu-95MS and Tu-22M3 are performed at specialized Russian aircraft repair enterprises. Transport elements from the 181st Separate Mixed Aviation Squadron support movement of personnel, components, and munitions between Far Eastern bases and central depots or repair facilities.
Data Confidence and Limitations
This assessment reflects verifiable open-source information current through 2024. Unit designations, military unit numbers, aircraft types, and basing provided here align with publicly reported data. Specific details on munitions stockpiles, nuclear storage locations, alert procedures, and other sensitive operational parameters are classified or not publicly available and are therefore not included.