I'm wondering if it's not just propaganda as the Blackjack has been going back into production several times over the last few years? Can't remember where I read it, but one if not more articles were suggesting that the upgraded avionics were yet to come & not featured in the first M2 airframe.
Any way you look at it the Tu-160 is an impressive aircraft, M2 or not - there are suggestions that 50 M2's will be produced at 3>4 per year. Will the Tu-160 although less numerous become Russia's long standing stalwart in the same way as the B-52 is to the US?