Russian invasion

The fighting
Russia confirms attacks – cryptic post from Ukraine

The Russian Defense Ministry confirms that Ukraine has carried out drone strikes on air bases in several regions, Reuters reports, citing Russian state media.

Russia calls the attacks “terrorist attacks”. According to Ukrainian information, around 40 Russian aircraft have been damaged. The attack is said to have been planned for a year and a half and carried out using explosive drones smuggled across the border.

The attack has not been officially commented on by Ukraine, but Zelensky’s chief of staff Andriy Yermak has posted an emoji depicting a spider web in a cryptic post on X. This is interpreted as a reference to the operation, which according to several media outlets has been named “web”.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy followed the operation as it was carried out, but US President Donald Trump was kept unaware, according to The Telegraph.

Analysis: This is making it hard for the Kremlin to talk itself out of it

Even the Russian propaganda machine will find it difficult to portray the Ukrainian drone attack as anything other than a disaster for Vladimir Putin. The Telegraph's Hamish de Bretton-Gordon writes in an analysis following the attacks on several air bases in Russia.

"The scale, reach and intensity of the attacks show that Ukraine, after three years of resisting Russian attacks, is now fighting back."

Sky News' Deborah Haynes notes that one of the air bases is more than 400 miles from the Ukrainian border, and writes that it is the most extensive operation of its kind since the start of the war.

"And it represents a major breakthrough through the Russian defenses."

BBC's Hugo Bachega and DN's Niklas Orrenius both write that it is taking place the day before a planned meeting between the countries in Istanbul.

“With this weekend’s attacks, Zelensky speaks a language that both Trump and Putin understand,” writes Orrenius.

Ukraine: Aircraft worth 67 billion have been damaged

The total value of the Russian aircraft that Ukraine attacked in a drone operation on Sunday is estimated to be the equivalent of around 67 billion kronor, according to the Ukrainian intelligence service SBU, according to Sky News.

At least 41 aircraft are said to have been hit, including strategic bombers of the Tu-95 and Tu-22M types and the radar and signals reconnaissance aircraft Beriev A-50. According to the AP, the bombers have been used to bomb Ukraine with missiles, and the radar plane to coordinate targets.

Defense expert Hans Liwång does not believe in any major short-term impact but says that the operation will have long-term significance.

– These aircraft are resources that Russia is in short supply of, he tells GP.

According to several media outlets, drones smuggled into Russia were used. In this way, Ukraine was able to attack air bases hundreds of miles into Russian territory.

Ukrainian drone attack
Source: “Massive” operation against Russian aircraft

Ukraine has carried out a “massive” operation to destroy Russian bombers, a security source told AFP. The target of the operation was, among other things, a Russian military base in eastern Siberia, thousands of kilometers from the Ukrainian border.

– Ukrainian security forces are carrying out a massive special operation with the aim of knocking out bombers far from the front in Russia, the source said.

Reuters writes that they carried out a drone attack against 40 aircraft. A total of four Russian bases were attacked. The Ukrainian security service confirms the attack to the BBC and writes in a statement that “enemy bombers are burning en masse in Russia.” 

The attack has reportedly been planned for over a year – expert is astonished: “The Russians were caught off guard”

The attack that Ukrainian sources state that the country has carried out against several air bases on Russian territory is extraordinary, says Danish military analyst Anders Puck Nielsen to TV2.

Much is still unknown, but according to Sky News, the attack has been prepared for a year and a half. Drones are said to have been smuggled into Russia hidden in containers, the roofs of which were opened by remote control so that the drones could be flown out and hit Russian bombers.

– The Russians have been caught off guard completely, says Nielsen.

Norwegian defense analyst Per Erik Solli describes it as a “performance defeat” for the Russian side, if it is true that 40 aircraft were lost. He draws parallels to when Ukraine managed to sink the flagship Moskva at the beginning of the war,

– This is on the same level. It's a really hard blow. 

Zelenskyy hails attack: “Goes to history books”

Ukraine’s drone attack on Russia “will go to history books,” according to Zelenskyy. The Ukrainian president is now breaking his silence about the attack that targeted several Russian air bases.

“An outstanding result,” he wrote in a statement on X.

The president says he was briefed by Ukrainian intelligence about the operation. He further writes that he cannot go into detail about the attack but states that “Ukraine is protecting itself.”