**Russia’s Strategic Bombers Destroyed in Covert Ukrainian Operation**
Russian President Vladimir Putin remained silent on the recent drone strikes that destroyed dozens of Russian strategic bombers during a televised cabinet meeting on June 4. The attack, part of Ukraine’s covert “Operation Spiderweb,” was carried out on June 1 using first-person-view (FPV) drones smuggled into Russia and hidden in trucks.
**Ukraine’s Covert Operation**
The strikes targeted four major airfields used by Russia’s long-range aviation fleet, responsible for regular missile attacks on Ukrainian cities. The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) confirmed that 41 aircraft were hit, including heavy bombers and rare A-50 spy planes, causing an estimated $7 billion in damage. Many of the bombers were destroyed beyond repair, while others may take years to restore.
**Russian Response**
On June 4, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov acknowledged the incident, saying Putin had been informed and that Russia’s Investigative Committee had launched a probe. However, Putin avoided addressing the matter during his first public appearance following the strikes, instead focusing on other incidents.
**Ukrainian Celebrations**
In contrast to the Russian silence, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called the operation “brilliant” and said it dealt “significant losses — entirely justified and deserved.” The SBU released high-resolution footage of the strikes, highlighting the precision and scale of the operation.
**Russian Attempts to Downplay Losses**
After the operation, Russian forces have been trying to downplay the scale of losses to their strategic aviation. A source in the SBU told the Kyiv Independent that the Russian military is bringing undamaged planes to the airfields to replace the destroyed ones so that satellite imagery does not show the burned-out aircraft.
Read More @ kyivindependent.com
