Satellite Pics Of 2 Russian Airbases Reveal Extent Of Damage By Ukrainian Drones

NDTV

04-06-2025

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High-resolution satellite images reveal damage at two Russian airbases from a Ukrainian drone attack.
Belaya and Olenya airbases, targeted under Ukraine's Operation Spider Web, sustained significant destruction.
At least ten bombers, including Tupolev Tu-95 and Tu-22, were reportedly destroyed at the two airbases.
Hi-resolution satellite images of two of the five Russian air bases targeted by Ukraine in its audacious drone attack have emerged, giving a glimpse of the destruction caused by the explosive-laden drones. Clear images have taken more than 48 hours after the attack because of cloud cover over these air bases, all of which are deep inside Russian territory.
Ukraine, under its Operation Spider Web, targeted the Belaya Air Base in Siberia's Irkutsk, the Olenya Air Base in the Arctic region's Murmansk, the Ivanovo Severny Air Base in Ivanovo, the Dyagilevo Air Base in Ryazan, and Ukrainka Air Base in Russia's Far East. While the nearest of these air bases is located more than 500 km from the Ukraine border, the farthest one is located as much as 8,000 km from the border.
The latest post-strike satellite images of the Belaya and Olenya air bases show the damage caused to Russian air infrastructure. At both these airbases, one can see the debris of several military aircraft that were lined up on the tarmac at the time of the attack.
At the Belaya air base, located more than 4,000 kilometres inside Russian territory, satellite pictures taken on June 4 show the fuselage and wings of at least two of Russia's frontline bomber - the Tupolev Tu-95 - burnt to ashes. The intensity of the explosions here were so intense that debris can be seen flung nearly 100 meters away where a decoy can be seen painted on the tarmac.
Another picture shows four Tupolev Tu-22 supersonic bombers - a mainstay of the Russian Air Force- parked on the tarmac while a fifth is seen completely decimated further down the parking bay. The image suggests that some clean-up activity has happened in the last two days, with parts of the destroyed aircraft removed from the area.
The Tupolev Tu-22 is used to target enemy aircraft carriers and other naval assets of the enemy, however, due to its speed, versatility, and adaptability, these sleekly designed bombers have been used for missions to target ground-based military assets deep inside enemy territory.
At least 10 bombers at the Belaya airbase can clearly be seen destroyed in the Ukrainian attack | Hi-Res Image Here
Several other aircraft - all bombers - parked in a zigzag formation at the Belaya airbase could also be seen completely destroyed. In total, at least 10 bombers at the Belaya airbase can clearly be seen destroyed in the Ukrainian attack, however, due to the clean-up activity by the Russian Air Force over the past 48 hours, it is difficult to predict how many of which type of bomber aircraft were destroyed.
At the Olenya Airbase, located in the Arctic region 2,000 km from Ukraine's border, satellite pictures show multiple aircraft standing beside each other on the tarmac now reduced to dust and ash.
It is difficult to assume which of Russia's military jets were destroyed here, tough pre-attack satellite images reveal that here too, the Tu-22 and Tu-95 aircraft were stationed. It was from this air base that the first video of the Ukranian drone strike emerged, which showed explosive-laden drones mainly targeting the Tu-95 bombers. The footage shows smoke billowing from these bombers, which were parked side-by-side on the tarmac.
There is still a considerable amount of cloud cover over the three other airbases which were targeted by Ukraine and hi-resolution satellite images are likely to come only after the weather clears. While today's satellite pictures show at least ten aircraft being targeted, Ukraine has said that as many as 41 Russian military jets have been destroyed in the Trojan-horse styled attack, where drones were sent secretly concealed in container trucks before being deployed remotely.
Moscow was caught off-guard presumably over the fact that these airbases are located so far inside Russia that the sheer distance was enough to keep aircraft safe from a Ukrainian attack. Though western allies have supplied Ukraine with missiles too - the US-made ATACMS and the British-French-made Storm Shadow - neither has the range to hit these air bases located deep inside Russian territory.
Despite the successful drone attack, the Russian Air Force, which has an immensely greater aircraft fleet, maintains air superiority over Ukraine. Ukraine's attack though has given a huge boost to Kyiv's morale, while creating a big dent on the morale of Moscow.
According to US President Donald Trump, who spoke to Vladimir Putin for over an hour today, the Russian President has vowed to retaliate Ukraine's attack. In a post on social media platform Truth Social, President Trump wrote, "I just finished speaking, by telephone, with President Vladimir Putin, of Russia. The call lasted approximately one hour and 15 minutes. We discussed the attack on Russia's docked airplanes, by Ukraine, and also various other attacks that have been taking place by both sides. It was a good conversation, but not a conversation that will lead to immediate Peace. President Putin did say, and very strongly, that he will have to respond to the recent attack on the airfields."