lemmy - Link to source

'Russian bombers are burning en masse' — Ukraine's SBU drones hit 'more than 40' aircraft in mass attack, source claims

'Russian bombers are burning en masse' — Ukraine's SBU drones hit 'more than 40' aircraft in mass attack, source claims

"Currently, more than 40 aircraft are known to have been hit, including the A-50, Tu-95 and Tu-22 M3," a source told the Kyiv Independent.
Chris York (The Kyiv Independent)
#ukraine
in reply to Hubi

lemmy - Link to source

thebestaquaman

Just read I the Norwegian news that two air bases in Murmansk (near the Norwegian border) were hit. If anything, this kind of strike hammers home how our support for Ukraine directly makes us safer as well.

These are planes that likely would have been used against Norway in the event of a war. Support for Ukraine is directly helping destroy equipment that otherwise could be used to attack us. We just need more people to understand this so we can get popular support for increasing our support a hundredfold.

in reply to Hubi

lemmy - Link to source

ikt

this is a big one!

from telegram https://t.me/ButusovPlus/20244

For the first time in world history, the main strategic aviation force, the carrier of nuclear weapons, was defeated right at its bases by a group drone strike. The outstanding sabotage operation of the Security Service of Ukraine will go down in all military history books, as this defeat of Russia is one of the most costly in terms of consequences and losses, which seriously reduces the number of Russia's strategic nuclear forces.

At the moment, according to our sources, 41 strategic and military transport aircraft of the Russian Armed Forces have been hit at four bases. Some of the drones were attacked with auto-targeting, and the results of their strikes will be determined using satellite imagery.

A group of SBU agents smuggled 150 small attack drones and 300 rounds of ammunition into Russia.

116 drones took to the air.

The drones were controlled via Russian telecommunication networks, using automated guidance.

Several mobile take-off points on Russian territory were located near Russian strategic aviation bases.

The drones were attacked from a short distance during the day in the enemy's deep rear. The air bases were covered by significant air defence forces - anti-aircraft missile systems, electronic warfare systems, and patrols with small arms. But the Russians expected nighttime attacks by heavy, large attack drones, which are clearly visible in the air, and did not expect an attack by small quadcopters during the day.

The attack on the Olenya strategic missile base of Tu-95s was particularly successful, as the drones accurately hit the filled fuel tanks and a significant number of the aircraft burned to ashes.

An operation of this scale and with such a huge economic and military effect, at such a high technological level, has no analogues in the world.

It is very important that the SBU agents have successfully returned to Ukraine. Ukraine did not suffer any losses.

Results:
- Military equipment worth billions of dollars was destroyed;

  • strategic aircraft, which Russia does not produce, were destroyed.
  • Weakened enemy strike capabilities, as these aircraft were an important component of constant terrorist attacks on Ukrainian cities.
  • The enemy will have to spend a lot of money to strengthen the defence of its bases and facilities.

Yes, such achievements should be recognised with the highest state award. Is it possible to award a second Hero of Ukraine to SSU leaders? Because the results are worth it.

The heroes who directly performed such a historic task and returned with victory certainly deserve the highest title.

Translated with DeepL (deepl.com/app/)

БУТУСОВ ПЛЮС

А ось і унікальні кадри ударів СБУ по стратегічних бомбардувальниках Росії, а саме по чотирьох Ту-95 на аеродромі Оленья.
Telegram
in reply to AnalogNotDigital

friendica (DFRN) - Link to source

abeorch

Ah I found BBC, Reuters and AP quoting the Ukranian SBU " SBU officially confirmed it had carried out the strikes, saying that "34% of [Russia's] strategic cruise missile carriers" were hit" - bbc.com/news/articles/c1ld7ppr… - and that " Tu-95 and Tu-22M3, as well as A-50 were destroyed" - Claims not yet independently verified. - It sounds like a massive hit but I have a feeling that we might see independent claims downgrading the figure a bit. The "strategic cruise missile carriers" is also a bit of qualifier. I would assume that there are independent estimates of what usable air power Russia has. I'm not seeing those chime in yet.

Ukraine reshared this.

in reply to AnalogNotDigital

lemmy - Link to source

supersquirrel

The west has escalated aid, but the powers that be in this situation in the US whoever they are I don't really care the specifics it is so tiringly repetitive the closer you look never wanted Ukraine to win decisively or else they would have made different choices.

The example you may have heard of is the Biden administrations reluctance to provide Javelin antitank missiles... which didn't end up being a decisive delay and in my opinion was a major miscalculation from Biden.. but it pointed clear as day to a bipartisan deeper reluctance in the US military/political power apparatus to provide Ukraine the tools to decisively beat Russia directly.

There has been ample examples of US air superiority assets and intelligence capability being used to indirectly help Ukraine assets perform tactical feats, but strategically there has been a very careful absence that I think is obvious to anyone who understands modern combined arms/mechanized war at a basic level.

What I am talking about is artillery, most people think what you would need to stop a Russian ground invasion are tanks, antitank missiles or stealth jets so expensive they can't afford to fly but not only does that misunderstand modern warfare with fpv drones, flying bombs and all kinds of guided weaponry that can defeat everything but very heavy armor, it misunderstands the history of combined arms warfare up until this point in that the answer is always in the end Artillery.

If the Pentagon wanted Ukraine to decisively beat Russia it would have provided them 155mm shells and armored self propelled artillery like it provides bombs for Israel committing genocide in Gaza. Even a meager targetted investment and acceleration of the Bohdana SPG program to produce a domestic artillery system in Ukraine that could fire 155mm shells would have made a stunning difference if it had gotten off the ground earlier in the war. The reasons are obvious, and they stare down at you like monoliths if you start to ask critical questions about why the Ukraine war has gone on so much longer than "everyone thought it would".

This entry was edited (Thursday, June 12, 2025, 7:37 PM)
in reply to Bonifratz

lemmy - Link to source

harrys_balzac

I just watched a couple of videos on this attack and one thing that stood out is the AWACS - Russia has 5, but only one airworthy one and Ukraine hit that one.

Basically, the Russian AF is blind outside of its bases. It's going to make it much more difficult for Russia to operate outside its borders.

One report I saw says they even hit a base near the northern border with Finland. A Russian sub has possibly been promoted to artificial reef.

Combine this attack with the two bridge collapses and the attack on Vladivostok, and Russia should be worried. Ukraine and their domestic insurgency can hit pretty much anywhere.

in reply to AnalogNotDigital

lemmy - Link to source

LaLuzDelSol

Right my point is we don't know how many "targeted" planes were actually hit. Like does that mean they launched drones with the intention of hitting them? Does it mean Zelinsky pointed to a satellite image and said "try to get that plane on the airfield"? I hope they get as many as possible but I'm still a little skeptical of the 40 plane claim. Let's wait and see, satellite images will be able to prove it one way or another.
in reply to AnalogNotDigital

lemmy - Link to source

LaLuzDelSol

Yeah I've seen drone footage of 4-5 planes burning though, not 40. It would not be the first time Ukraine has made a big exaggerated claim.

Edit: "🇺🇦 Andriy Kovalenko, head of Ukraine’s Center for Countering Disinformation, reports that at least 13 Russian aircraft were destroyed and additional aircraft damaged during Ukraine’s large-scale operation "Spiderweb" on June 1." Downvote me all you want. Source

NOELREPORTS 🇪🇺 🇺🇦 (@noelreports@mstdn.social)

Attached: 1 image 🇺🇦 Andriy Kovalenko, head of Ukraine’s Center for Countering Disinformation, reports that at least 13 Russian aircraft were destroyed and additional aircraft damaged during Ukraine’s large-scale operation "Spiderweb" on June 1.
Mastodon 🐘
This entry was edited (Monday, June 2, 2025, 1:09 PM)
in reply to LaLuzDelSol

lemmy - Link to source

NotJohnSmith

All I'd say is that isn't an exaggerated claim. They said 41 targeted, any assumption about how many were hit is not coming from them.

Equally, the quote you have provided confirms just that they know of at least 13 destroyed.
It could be 41 were hit but only 13 destroyed.

This also implies:
1. they are still assessing the total impact and 2. arguably are doing exactly the opposite of what you stated by only counting known destruction and not exaggerating

⇧