According to The Drive journalists, the arrival of the Tu-22M3 in Khmeimim practically coincides in time with the arrival of the aircraft carrier Queen Elizabeth in the Mediterranean Sea.

Considering that during the Cold War it was American aircraft carriers and warships that were the main target of the Soviet Tu-22M in this territory, fears do not seem so unfounded.

The Drive also recalled the use of a supersonic cruise missile, upgraded to the X-32, as the main weapon of the Tu-22M3. This allows the aircraft to attack the enemy at a distance of up to 800 kilometers.