Ukraine has announced that it will destroy its last 15 Tu-22M Backfire bombers by the end of next year, as well as five Russian Tu-95s which were sent to Ukraine for repairs. As the Russians have never paid for the repairs, Ukraine plans to seize the aircraft and sell them for scrap metal. The announcement is thought, by some analysts, to be a final bid to find a customer for the aircraft or force the Russians to offer cash for them.---Stephen V Cole
