Ukraine drone attack: How Kiev hit airbases, warplanes deep inside Russia

Ukraine attacked Russian nuclear-capable long-range bombers at a military base deep in Siberia on Sunday

A Ukrainian security official told the Associated Press on Sunday that Kyiv has destroyed more than 40 Russian planes in a drone attack deep in Russia’s territory.

The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to disclose operational details, said the attack took over a year and a half to execute and was personally supervised by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Ukrainian "Pavutyna" (spider net) operation is today's attack launched simultaneously on four russia's strategic aviation airbases has reportedly destroyed 40 (forty) strategic bombers on 4 (four) airbases: Belaya (4700 km from Ukraine), Dyagilevo (700 km), Olenya (2000 km), pic.twitter.com/AYr5g7Xr7L
Sergej Sumlenny, LL.M (@sumlenny) June 1, 2025

Ukraine conducted a large drone attack on Russian military aircraft on Sunday, a security official told Reuters, saying 40 Russian warplanes were struck.

Ukraine said it damaged $7 billion worth of Russian aircraft parked at four airbases thousands of kilometres (miles) away, with unverified video footage showing aicraft engulfed in flames and black smoke.

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky said Sunday it deployed 117 drones in a massive attack against Russian airbases that he called "our most long-range operation" in more than three years of war.

"A total of 117 drones were used in the operation. And a corresponding number of drone operators worked," Zelensky said in a statement, adding that "34 percent of the strategic cruise missile carriers at the airfields were hit".

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky hailed "brilliant" results from a mass drone strike targeting Russian airbases in what he called "our most long-range operation" in more than three years of war.

Zelensky also said agents involved in preparing the drone strikes had been "withdrawn" from Russian territory in time, after Russia's defence ministry said several "participants" had been arrested.

The official said that the strikes were conducted by the SBU domestic intelligence agency, and that they had simultaneously hit four Russian military air bases on Sunday. The source, speaking on condition of anonymity, said more than 40 aircraft were hit, including Tu-95 and Tu-22 strategic bombers, which Russia uses to fire long-range missiles at Ukraine.

The source shared video footage, saying it showed the strikes. The images showed several large aircraft, some of which appeared to be Tu-95 strategic bombers, on fire.

Ukraine, which lacks Russia's vast arsenal of missiles, has instead built up a large fleet of attack drones which it has used to attack Russian military and oil facilities.

Russia had proposed a fresh round of talks in Istanbul, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has confirmed that Ukraine will send a delegation to Istanbul for a new round of direct peace talks with Russia on Monday.

*With Agency Inputs