The brazen Ukrainian flash of the Russian fighter planes on Sunday was 18 months in production and the Pentagon was kept in the dark until the end, Sources Fox News said.
“Operation Spider’s Web”, a number of coordinated drone attacks that penetrate deeply into the Russian territory, is said to have removed dozens of Russia’s most powerful bomber jets and surveillance aircraft when they sat in five military airfields.
The breathtaking operation was personally monitored by President Volodymyr Zelensky, said Ukraine Security Service (SBU).
Ukraine Used small FPV drones Hidden on trucks in wooden huts. When the trucks reached their destinations, the roofs opened with remote control and the drones.
Videos on social media showed drones that were lifted off from parked trucks and increased large aircraft on the runways.
Ukraine destroys dozens of Russian fighter planes with drone attacks deep in Russia
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy meets in his office in Kyiv with a top military commander in Kyiv, after “Operation Spider’s Web” was announced, a drone attack that was aimed at Russian air bases deep in the Russian territory. (@Zelenskyyuu about x)
In an explanation of X ,, Zelenskyy called the operation “An absolutely brilliant result” and said that it was “only reached by Ukraine”.
He said that the mission had “lasted one year, six months and nine days from the start of planning to the effective execution” and described it as “our long -term operation”. He added that “our employees involved in the preparation of the operation were withdrawn from the Russian territory in good time” and thanked General Vasyl Maliuk, head of the SBU, for success.
Zelensky said some details could not yet be announced, but explained: “These are Ukrainian actions that will undoubtedly be in history books. Ukraine is rightly defending itself.”
The Russian Ministry of Defense confirmed that airfields were attacked in five regions: Murmansk, Irkutsk, Ivanovo, Ryazan and Amur.
Russia called the strike a “terrorist act”, but said that his armed forces had fended off the attack. Nevertheless, the ministry admitted several planes that had caught fire. Russian officials said that some suspects had been arrested.
Ukraine said 117 drones were used.
The SBU claimed that 34% of the strategic bombers of Russia had been hit and estimated the damage to $ 7 billion. The BBC surveillance reported that other Ukrainian experts gave a lower estimate of 2 billion US dollars. These numbers have not been confirmed.
The attack occurred shortly before the planned peace talks between Ukraine and Russia, which were to begin on Monday in Istanbul President Donald Trump, The BBC reported.
Russia starts the largest air raid in the Ukraine war and kills at least 12
This picture from a video published by a source in the Ukrainian security service on June 1, 2025 shows a Ukrainian drone that strikes Russian planes deep in the Russia’s territory. (Ukrainian security service via AP)
Ukraine says that it will push for a full ceasefire, the return of captured prisoners and the return of children to Russia. These conditions were not agreed by Russia.
The White House confirmed Fox News that the Trump government was not informed about the attack in advance. Defense Minister Pete Hegseth, According to a high -ranking defense officer, which spoke to Ukrainian officials immediately after the operation was ultimately received a complete briefing and subsequent updates.
The officials said the flash was very clever, and the Pentagon was not certain whether the Quadcopter drones, which were prepositional in cables in Russia, were piloted or then unloaded in trucks.
US officials were skeptical about the fact that up to 50 Russian bombers were hit and believed that the number was probably between 11 and 15, said the official, who had been added that it may have been involved in up to five Russian airfields.
In this undated photo of the Ukrainian security service, Vasyl Malyuk heads a photo of a map of the strategic aviation location in Russia in his office in Ukraine. (Ukrainian security service via AP)
Military experts say that the raid has damaged Russia’s ability to start long -haul missile attacks. The bomber hits included TU-95 and TU-22M3 aircraft that were used in previous strikes against Ukraine.
Ukraine also claimed that it had damaged a Russian A-50 radar aircraft that was used to lead the Russian air power.
Chris Partridge, analyst of BBC Weapons, said that air defense like the S-300 and S-400 had little time to react because the drones from Russia were started.
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The White House did not react immediately to the additional request from FOX News Digital by comment.
Different Hagstrom from Fox News contributed to this report.
