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HOW SATELLITE IMAGES SHOW SCALE OF UKRAINE’S DRONE ATTACK ON
RUSSIAN BOMBERS  
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Paul Brown, Thomas Spencer
June 4, 2025
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_ Ukraine claims that it targeted 41 strategic bombers in the
operation, adding that "at least" 13 were destroyed. _

, BBC

 

New satellite images and drone footage show serious damage inflicted
on aircraft at several Russian airbases during Ukraine's surprise
drone strike on Sunday.

The images of two Russian airbases in north-western and central
Russia, taken on Wednesday morning, show 12 aircraft damaged or
destroyed.

Meanwhile, drone footage, released by the Security Service of Ukraine
(SBU) on Wednesday, showed attacks on these two bases as well as two
more targeted elsewhere.

Ukraine claims that it targeted 41 strategic bombers in the operation,
adding that "at least" 13 were destroyed. Security officials say the
shock incursion took 18 months to plan and saw many drones smuggled
into Russia.

Drone attacks recorded

The SBU video is almost five minutes long and consists of edited
footage taken by drones in the process of conducting attacks on
Olenya, Ivanovo, Dyagilevo and Belaya airbases.

In each shot the feed cuts out before any explosion, but in some
instances we see other planes on fire in the background.

At no point do we see any indication of defensive measures from
Russian forces, even after the attack was clearly well underway.

Many of the aircraft are covered in tyres - a Russian tactic said to
be aimed at mitigating against drone strikes.

Some of the aircraft are seen apparently loaded with cruise missiles
and well fuelled - judging by the extent and spread of fires. This
suggests they were prepared to conduct strikes.

The clearest satellite imagery covers Olenya and Belaya and shows five
damaged or destroyed planes at the former and seven at the latter.

Olenya

Olenya is a major Russian airbase in the north-west of the country.

The SBU footage shows smoke pouring from three aircraft, identified as
Tu-95 strategic bombers and an approach to a fourth. Video footage
also shows a drone approaching a Tu-22M strategic bomber sitting on
the runway in this very same position.

Satellite imagery from Maxar clearly shows a destroyed aircraft
sitting beside a row of Tu-22M type aircraft.

Satellite images showing destroyed planes on the runway in Olenya, a
major Russian airbase in the country's north-west

Manufacturing of both the Tu-95 and Tu-22 ended at the fall of the
Soviet Union in the early 1990s, which will make repair difficult and
replacement near impossible.

Elsewhere in the SBU video, an AN-12 Transporter can be seen being
approached. The Maxar satellite image does not show the aftermath of
this, but other imagery reviewed by BBC Verify from AviVector - a
satellite image analyst on X - suggests that it too was destroyed.

Belaya

Imagery provided by Planet Labs from this morning shows the entirety
of Belaya airbase in Irkutsk Oblast, nearly 3,000km from the Ukrainian
border.

It shows three damaged Tu-95s and four Tu-22s and in various parts of
the base. The SBU footage shows many of the same aircraft being
approached.

In two instances we see the drone carefully position itself on the
wing of a Tu-95 - next to one of its fuel tanks.

The final shot of the footage shows smoke rising from numerous sites
across the base.

Ivanovo

At Ivanovo airbase two A50-AWACS planes are seen being targeted. The
aircraft serves as an early warning and control asset - or spy plane -
and is identifiable by the sizeable radar system on its fuselage.

Ukraine previously shot down two of these aircraft
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February 2024.

As yet we have not seen any imagery or footage that captures any
damage to these aircraft at Ivanovo.

While satellite imagery from the site does show wreckage, BBC Verify
has confirmed that the damage was present at the site before Sunday's
attack and is likely from another incident.

Dyagilevo

The SBU footage from Dyagilevo in Ryazan region shows three Tu-22s
being approached, but there is no clear indication of damage sustained
in either the footage or available satellite imagery.

_Additional reporting by Shayan Sardarizadeh_

[xxxxxx moderator - Related:

Ukrainian Attack on Russian Bombers Shows How Cheap Drones Could Upset
Global Security
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Julien de Troullioud de Lanversin
Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists
This military operation is the latest illustration of how cheap,
accessible drones are changing modern warfare. It also exposed another
reality: Drones will wreak havoc on global stability if nobody
controls their proliferation.
June 5, 2025]

* Ukraine
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* Russia
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