Satellite photos show destroyed bombers at a Russian air base that Ukraine said it hit
Satellite photos analyzed by The Associated Press on Wednesday showed seven destroyed bombers on the tarmac at a Russian air base in eastern Siberia, one of the targets Ukraine said it struck with drones in one of the most daring covert operations of the 3-year war.
The photos provided by Planet Labs PBC showed aircraft wreckage and scorched areas at the Belaya Air Base, a major installation for Russia's long-range bomber force. In the images, at least three Tu-95 bombers and four Tu-22Ms appeared to be destroyed.
The planes were parked on an apron beside a runway surrounded by grassland. Other aircraft at the base appeared unscathed.
Ukraine claimed that 41 Russian warplanes, including strategic bombers and other types of combat aircraft, were destroyed or damaged in Sunday's operation, which officials said was planned over 18 months. The attack delivered a heavy blow to Russia's air force and its military prestige.
The Russian Defense Ministry said the attack set several warplanes ablaze at air bases in the Irkutsk region and the Murmansk region in the north, but the fires were extinguished. It also said Ukraine also tried to strike two air bases in western Russia, as well as another one in the Amur region of Russia's Far East, but those attacks were repelled.
Russian President Vladimir Putin hasn't commented on the issue.
The Tu-95 is a is a four-engine turboprop plane that can fly intercontinental missions and was designed in the 1950s to rival the U.S. B-52 bomber.
The Tupolev Tu-22M is a sweep-wing twin-engine supersonic bomber.
Russia has used the heavy planes in the war to launch waves of cruise missile strikes across Ukraine.
For decades, long-range bombers have been part of the Soviet and Russian nuclear triad that also includes land-based intercontinental ballistic missiles and atomic-powered submarines carrying ICBMs. The strategic bombers have flown regular patrols around the globe showcasing Moscow's nuclear might.
___
Follow AP's coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Russian missile and drone attack across Ukraine wounds at least 3 and causes damage
Ukraine was under an ongoing Russian ballistic missile and drone attack early Friday that wounded at least three people, officials said. Multiple explosions were heard in the capital, Kyiv, where falling debris sparked fires across several districts as air defense systems attempted to intercept incoming targets, said Tymur Tkachenko, head of the Kyiv City Administration. Three people were wounded, local officials said. They urged residents to seek shelter. 'Our air defense crews are doing everything possible. But we must protect one another — stay safe,' Tkachenko wrote on Telegram. Authorities reported damage in several districts, and rescue workers were responding at multiple locations. In Solomyanskyi district, a fire broke out on the 11th floor of a 16-story residential building. Emergency services evacuated three people from the apartment, and rescue operations were ongoing. Another fire broke out in a metal warehouse. Tymchenko said the metro tracks between two stations in Kyiv were damaged in the attack, but no fire or injuries occurred. In northern Chernihiv region, a Shahed drone exploded near an apartment building, shattering windows and doors, according to regional military administration chief Dmytro Bryzhynskyi. He added that explosions from ballistic missiles were also recorded on the outskirts of the city. The nighttime attack came hours after U.S. President Donald Trump said it might be better to let Ukraine and Russia 'fight for a while' before pulling them apart and pursuing peace, in comments that were a remarkable detour from Trump's often-stated appeals to stop the three-year war. Trump spoke as he met with Germany's new chancellor, who appealed to him as the 'key person in the world' who could halt the bloodshed by pressuring Russian President Vladimir Putin. Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Trump weighs 'very harsh' Russia sanctions bill as German chancellor seeks more pressure on Putin
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said he asked President Donald Trump to put more pressure on Russia as its three-year war against Ukraine shows no signs of slowing down despite repeated attempts from the White House to broker peace between the two warring nations. Merz met with Trump Thursday at the White House, his first visit to Washington, D.C., since becoming Germany's chancellor in May and several days after Ukraine launched a surprise drone attack on Russian air bases across the country. "Only strength brings peace. And if you are weak, you invite aggression," he said in an interview on "Special Report." "Russia has it in its own hands to stop this war immediately. They could stop it overnight. So that's the reason why I asked the president to go along with us, to put more pressure on this government, on Putin, to come to an end with this terrible war." Trump has held off on enacting additional secondary sanctions against Moscow as his administration continues attempts to bring Russia's war to an end. Ukraine Destroys Dozens Of Russian Warplanes With Drone Attack Deep Inside Russia Read On The Fox News App Kyiv and Moscow held a second round of talks Monday in Istanbul, which failed to move the needle closer to securing a ceasefire deal. They both agreed to another large-scale prisoner swap that would see severely injured troops return home. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy agreed to an unconditional 30-day ceasefire earlier this year, which was rejected by Russian President Vladimir Putin. A bipartisan sanctions bill backed by Sens. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., and Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., would impose additional severe economic penalties on Russia and its supporters in an attempt to pressure Moscow to engage in "good faith negotiations." Mideast Oil Powerhouse Bans Russian 'Shadow Fleet' Vessels That Seek To Undermine Sanctions "Our legislation will isolate Russia – putting it on a trade island by imposing stiff tariffs on other countries that support these atrocities," Blumenthal said in a press release. "One of the main priorities of our legislation is to hold China accountable for propping up Putin's war machine by buying cheap Russian oil from the shadow fleet. Without China's economic support, Putin's war machine would come to a grinding halt." Trump told reporters at the White House Thursday that he hasn't looked at the sanctions bill yet, but believes its path will be "guided" by him. "I'm a very quick study. At the right time, I'll do what I want to do, but it could very well be OK. I have to see. But they're waiting for me to decide on what to do, and I'll know, maybe very soon. It's a harsh bill, yeah, very harsh," he said. Merz acknowledged to "Special Report" guest anchor Aishah Hasnie that it's been "extremely complicated" to bring the Russians to the table. "That's the reason why I asked the president to do more on Russia and to put pressure on Russia," he said. "You know that there is a bill in the Senate drafted on more sanctions. [I] just had a debate, a discussion with some colleagues from the Senate, so I very much hope that we will go along and that we will do the same. And the same has one goal: bring this terrible war to an end."Original article source: Trump weighs 'very harsh' Russia sanctions bill as German chancellor seeks more pressure on Putin
Chicago Tribune
2 hours ago
- Chicago Tribune
Russian missile and drone attack across Ukraine wounds at least 3 and causes damage
KYIV, Ukraine — Ukraine was under an ongoing Russian ballistic missile and drone attack early Friday that wounded at least three people, officials said. Multiple explosions were heard in the capital, Kyiv, where falling debris sparked fires across several districts as air defense systems attempted to intercept incoming targets, said Tymur Tkachenko, head of the Kyiv City Administration. Three people were wounded, local officials said. They urged residents to seek shelter. 'Our air defense crews are doing everything possible. But we must protect one another — stay safe,' Tkachenko wrote on Telegram. Authorities reported damage in several districts, and rescue workers were responding at multiple locations. In Solomyanskyi district, a fire broke out on the 11th floor of a 16-story residential building. Emergency services evacuated three people from the apartment, and rescue operations were ongoing. Another fire broke out in a metal warehouse. Tymchenko said the metro tracks between two stations in Kyiv were damaged in the attack, but no fire or injuries occurred. In northern Chernihiv region, a Shahed drone exploded near an apartment building, shattering windows and doors, according to regional military administration chief Dmytro Bryzhynskyi. He added that explosions from ballistic missiles were also recorded on the outskirts of the city. The nighttime attack came hours after U.S. President Donald Trump said it might be better to let Ukraine and Russia 'fight for a while' before pulling them apart and pursuing peace, in comments that were a remarkable detour from Trump's often-stated appeals to stop the three-year war. Trump spoke as he met with Germany's new chancellor, who appealed to him as the 'key person in the world' who could halt the bloodshed by pressuring Russian President Vladimir Putin.
