Latest news with #BradyAfrick
5 days ago
- Politics
Aftermath of Ukraine drone strike on Russian airfields shown in satellite imagery
An analysis by multiple experts of new video and satellite images suggests that at least 11 Russian bomber aircraft and one large transport plane were badly damaged or destroyed in Ukraine's drone attack on Sunday. Video released on Wednesday by the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) gives more details on the attack, the full extent of which has been unclear. Ukraine's government said over 40 aircraft were destroyed in an attack on at least four air bases on Monday. On Wednesday, two United States officials said around 10 planes had been destroyed and a total of around 20 were targeted in the attack. The video from the SBU released Wednesday opens with a view of the Olenya air base with multiple drones landing on Tu-95 and Tu-22 bombers and an An-12 transport plane. Explosions from other drones and burning planes can be seen in some of the clips. At Olenya, according to the defense intelligence firm Janes, a company using open-source information to provide intelligence, four Tu-95 bombers and one An-12 were destroyed. Janes said they based their analysis on video and multiple satellite images. Analysts with the private intelligence firm MAIAR wrote in a report, provided to ABC News, that no significant damage was visible at the base and that imagery suggested eight A-50s remained in the same position as seen in earlier images. Two A-50 aircraft are seen at Russia's Ivanovo air base in a video posted by SBU on June 4. After the appearance of the A-50s in the video from Ukraine's SBU released Wednesday, a series of clips shows drones landing on and around large airplanes at Russia's Dyagilevo air base. Scorch marks on the ground suggested Russia's Dyagilevo air base was likely targeted in the attack, according to Janes, but there was no visible evidence of damage to aircraft there. MAIAR's analysts also pointed to ground scarring near areas where aircraft had been stored. After reviewing the SBU's video, the open-source intelligence analyst Brady Africk told ABC News the video pointed to evidence of damage to at least one Tu-22. According to Africk, a damaged Tu-22 bomber is seen at Russia's Dyagilevo air base. The video from Ukraine's SBU closes with a series of clips from the Belaya air base, where several smoke plumes and fires are seen as drones target multiple planes. There, the wreckage of three Tu-95 and four Tu-22 bombers could be seen in a June 4 image from Planet Labs, according to an analysis by Janes. MAIAR's analysts reached the same conclusion, highlighting evidence in the satellite imagery of ground scarring and burned grass in two areas of the base. Africk, the open-source intelligence analyst, told ABC News that destroyed Tu-95 and Tu-22 bombers could be seen at the base.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Aftermath of Ukraine drone strike on Russian airfields shown in satellite imagery
An analysis by multiple experts of new video and satellite images suggests that at least 11 Russian bomber aircraft and one large transport plane were badly damaged or destroyed in Ukraine's drone attack on Sunday. Video released on Wednesday by the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) gives more details on the attack, the full extent of which has been unclear. Ukraine's government said over 40 aircraft were destroyed in an attack on at least four air bases on Monday. On Wednesday, two United States officials said around 10 planes had been destroyed and a total of around 20 were targeted in the attack. MORE: Ukraine claims new underwater bomb attack on Russia's Crimean Bridge The video from the SBU released Wednesday opens with a view of the Olenya air base with multiple drones landing on Tu-95 and Tu-22 bombers and an An-12 transport plane. Explosions from other drones and burning planes can be seen in some of the clips. At Olenya, according to the defense intelligence firm Janes, a company using open-source information to provide intelligence, four Tu-95 bombers and one An-12 were destroyed. Janes said they based their analysis on video and multiple satellite images. Analysts with the private intelligence firm MAIAR wrote in a report, provided to ABC News, that no significant damage was visible at the base and that imagery suggested eight A-50s remained in the same position as seen in earlier images. Two A-50 aircraft are seen at Russia's Ivanovo air base in a video posted by SBU on June 4. After the appearance of the A-50s in the video from Ukraine's SBU released Wednesday, a series of clips shows drones landing on and around large airplanes at Russia's Dyagilevo air base. Scorch marks on the ground suggested Russia's Dyagilevo air base was likely targeted in the attack, according to Janes, but there was no visible evidence of damage to aircraft there. MAIAR's analysts also pointed to ground scarring near areas where aircraft had been stored. After reviewing the SBU's video, the open-source intelligence analyst Brady Africk told ABC News the video pointed to evidence of damage to at least one Tu-22. MORE: Following peace talks, Zelenskyy says Ukraine will continue attacks unless Russia halts offensive According to Africk, a damaged Tu-22 bomber is seen at Russia's Dyagilevo air base. The video from Ukraine's SBU closes with a series of clips from the Belaya air base, where several smoke plumes and fires are seen as drones target multiple planes. There, the wreckage of three Tu-95 and four Tu-22 bombers could be seen in a June 4 image from Planet Labs, according to an analysis by Janes. MAIAR's analysts reached the same conclusion, highlighting evidence in the satellite imagery of ground scarring and burned grass in two areas of the base. Africk, the open-source intelligence analyst, told ABC News that destroyed Tu-95 and Tu-22 bombers could be seen at the base. Both types of bombers have been used in long-range strikes on Ukraine, Africk told ABC News.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Satellite images show the unusual tire tactic and fake decoy aircraft that failed to save Russia's bombers from Ukrainian drones
Satellite images show Russia tried using deceptive tactics at the airbases Ukraine attacked Sunday. These tactics included placing tires on wings and painting fake decoy planes on the ground. It's a playbook that Moscow has used throughout the war to try to protect its airbases. Satellite imagery of the four Russian airbases that were attacked by Ukraine on Sunday shows how Moscow attempted to use deceptive tactics to protect its strategic bomber fleet. The images, captured by US commercial satellite imaging company Maxar Technologies and obtained by Business Insider, show that Russia had many of its bombers covered with tires and other objects in the days and weeks before the Ukrainian operation. Moscow's forces also painted fake aircraft on the tarmac and used debris to create decoy planes. Ukraine's SBU, its internal security agency, said it used small quadcopter drones to hit 41 Russian aircraft in the daring operation, more than 18 months in the making. These aircraft include A-50 airborne early warning and control planes, An-12 transporters, Il-78 refueling tankers, and Tu-95, Tu-22M3, and Tu-160 bombers. The drones struck airbases across Russia, specifically Belaya in the Irkutsk region, Olenya in the Murmansk region, Dyagilevo in the Ryazan region, and Ivanovo in the Ivanovo region. Ukrainka in the Amur region was reportedly targeted but not hit. Different types of deception tactics can be seen in satellite imagery of all five sites at various points in time before the attack. Brady Africk, an open-source intelligence analyst, told BI that since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion, Moscow's forces have "added flat decoy aircraft to many air bases and placed tires on top of parked planes in an effort to confuse the targeting systems of Ukrainian weapons." Africk said the new satellite imagery shows that Russia also "placed debris on top of flat decoys and positioned solid objects on the ground in the rough shape of aircraft" in what looks like an "apparent attempt to increase the chances of misleading Ukrainian weapons." Africk said that Russia's flat decoy aircraft — in some cases, they are just simple silhouettes; in others, they are painted to look like the planes they're intended to resemble — aren't easily seen in the radar-based satellite imagery that the Ukrainian military is understood to use. "It is clear from the number of aircraft destroyed that Ukraine's attack on these bases was very successful, despite Russia's attempts at deception," he said. New video footage from the attack shows drones striking aircraft with tires in place. The Ukrainian attack was complex and very different from any other deep strike in scope and scale. The SBU said that planning began more than a year and a half ago. The agency smuggled the explosive-packed quadcopter drones into Russia and then sent wooden containers to house them. In Russia, operatives hid the drones in the containers, which were placed on trucks and driven to positions near the airbases. On Sunday, the tops of the containers were opened remotely, allowing the drones to fly out simultaneously and attack their targets. The SBU said the attack took out a third of Russia's strategic cruise missile carriers, causing more than $7 billion in losses. Lt. Gen. Vasyl Malyuk, the agency's chief, called it a "devastating blow" to Moscow's aviation and a "serious slap in the face" to the Kremlin's power projection. BI could not independently verify the reported details of the operation, including how many aircraft were damaged or destroyed, and the cost of the losses. Russia's defense ministry has acknowledged but downplayed the attack. The bombers that were targeted have been used in devastating strikes against Ukraine throughout the conflict. These aircraft can travel long distances and carry heavy payloads. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said 117 first-person view (FPV) drones and as many operators were involved in the massive attack. He said the planning and organization "was perfectly executed" and called it "an absolutely unique operation." The attack underscores the increasing role that cheap drones and surprise play in modern warfare. One of the airbases that was hit, Belaya, is over 2,500 miles from the Ukrainian border, demonstrating Kyiv's long reach and its ability to slip past Russian defenses. Read the original article on Business Insider
Business Insider
6 days ago
- Politics
- Business Insider
Satellite images show the unusual tire tactic and fake decoy aircraft that failed to save Russia's bombers from Ukrainian drones
Satellite images show Russia tried using deceptive tactics at the airbases Ukraine attacked Sunday. These tactics included placing tires on wings and painting fake decoy planes on the ground. It's a playbook that Moscow has used throughout the war to try to protect its airbases. Satellite imagery of the four Russian airbases that were attacked by Ukraine on Sunday shows how Moscow attempted to use deceptive tactics in an attempt to protect its strategic bomber fleet. The images, captured by US commercial satellite imaging company Maxar Technologies and obtained by Business Insider, show that Russia had many of its bombers covered with tires and other objects in the days and weeks before the Ukrainian operation. Moscow's forces also painted fake aircraft on the tarmac and used debris to create decoy planes. Ukraine's SBU, its internal security agency, said it used small quadcopter drones to hit 41 Russian aircraft in the daring operation, more than 18 months in the making. These aircraft include A-50 airborne early warning and control planes, An-12 transporters, Il-78 refueling tankers, and Tu-95, Tu-22M3, and Tu-160 bombers. The drones struck airbases across Russia, specifically Belaya in the Irkutsk region, Olenya in the Murmansk region, Dyagilevo in the Ryazan region, and Ivanovo in the Ivanovo region. Ukrainka in the Amur region was reportedly targeted but not hit. Different types of deception tactics can be seen in satellite imagery of all five sites at various points in time before the attack. Brady Africk, an open-source intelligence analyst, told BI that since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion, Moscow's forces have "added flat decoy aircraft to many air bases and placed tires on top of parked planes in an effort to confuse the targeting systems of Ukrainian weapons." Africk said the new satellite imagery shows that Russia also "placed debris on top of flat decoys and positioned solid objects on the ground in the rough shape of aircraft" in what looks like an "apparent attempt to increase the chances of misleading Ukrainian weapons." Africk said that Russia's flat decoy aircraft — in some cases, they are just simple silhouettes; in others, they are painted to look like the planes they're intended to resemble — aren't easily seen in the radar-based satellite imagery that the Ukrainian military is understood to use. "It is clear from the number of aircraft destroyed that Ukraine's attack on these bases was very successful, despite Russia's attempts at deception," he said. New video footage from the attack shows drones striking aircraft with tires in place. A 'devastating blow' to Russian aviation The Ukrainian attack was complex and very different from any other deep strike in scope and scale. The SBU said that planning began more than a year and a half ago. The agency smuggled the explosive-packed quadcopter drones into Russia and then sent wooden containers to house them. In Russia, operatives hid the drones in the containers, which were placed on trucks and driven to positions near the airbases. On Sunday, the tops of the containers were opened remotely, allowing the drones to fly out simultaneously and attack their targets. The SBU said the attack took out a third of Russia's strategic cruise missile carriers, causing more than $7 billion in losses. Lt. Gen. Vasyl Malyuk, the agency's chief, called it a "devastating blow" to Moscow's aviation and a "serious slap in the face" to the Kremlin's power projection. BI could not independently verify the reported details of the operation, including how many aircraft were damaged or destroyed, and the cost of the losses. Russia's defense ministry has acknowledged but downplayed the attack. The bombers that were targeted have been used in devastating strikes against Ukraine throughout the conflict. These aircraft can travel long distances and carry heavy payloads. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said 117 first-person view (FPV) drones and as many operators were involved in the massive attack. He said the planning and organization "was perfectly executed" and called it "an absolutely unique operation." The attack underscores the increasing role that cheap drones and surprise play in modern warfare. One of the airbases that was hit, Belaya, is over 2,500 miles from the Ukrainian border, demonstrating Kyiv's long reach and its ability to slip past Russian defenses.
The Guardian
7 days ago
- Politics
- The Guardian
Ukraine war briefing: Satellite pictures show Russian warplanes prey to ‘Spiderweb'
Satellite pictures of a Russian airbase taken shortly after Ukraine carried out a deep strike with drones show strategic bombers destroyed or badly damaged. Ukraine targeted at least four airbases across Russia using 117 unmanned aerial vehicles launched from containers close to the targets in Operation Spiderweb. Capella Space, a satellite company, supplied Reuters with images of one of those airfields, located in the Siberian region of Irkutsk, taken on 2 June, the day after the operation. The synthetic aperture radar (SAR) pictures appear to show the debris of several aircraft located along the runway of the Belaya military airbase or parked in protective revetments nearby. John Ford, a research associate at the California-based James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies, said they showed what appeared to be the remnants of two destroyed Tu-22 Backfires – long-range, supersonic strategic bombers that have been used to launch missile strikes against Ukraine. The SAR image, as well as drone footage of the strikes posted on social media, also indicated that four strategic heavy Tu-95 bombers had been destroyed or severely damaged, he added. Brady Africk, an open source intelligence analyst, agreed that the SAR imagery of Irkutsk airbase showed several Tu-95s and Tu-22s had been destroyed and damaged, although more imagery was needed to properly assess the impact. 'But it is clear that the attack on this airbase was very successful,' he said. 'The aircraft targeted in the attack were a mix of Tu-22 and Tu-95 bombers, both of which Russia has used to launch strikes against Ukraine.' Africk added that Belaya airbase is home to several flat decoy aircraft, which he said had apparently failed to mislead Ukrainian drones. Ukraine on Tuesday detonated a massive underwater blast that 'severely damaged' the base of pylons holding up the illegally built Kerch Bridge, which connects the Russian-occupied Crimean peninsula of Ukraine to Russia. The signature project of Vladimir Putin was hit with the equivalent of more than a metric tonne of TNT, said Kyiv's SBU security service, write Peter Beaumont and Artem Mazhulin. The Kerch Bridge is heavily protected and Ukraine's ability to place explosives directly on its underwater structure, coming after Operation Spiderweb, is the second grave embarrassment for Putin and Russian security services in three days. In October 2022 a truck exploded on the bridge, shutting it down, while in July 2023 the SBU said it had blown up part of the bridge using an experimental naval drone. Both times, Russia repaired the damaged sections. The bridge is regularly closed in security scares. Lt Gen Vasyl Maliuk, of the SBU, who supervised the latest operation, described it as 'an absolutely legitimate target, especially considering that the enemy used it as a logistical artery to supply its troops … Crimea is Ukraine, and any manifestations of occupation will receive our tough response.' A Russian attack killed at least four people and wounded 25 in the north-eastern Ukrainian city of Sumy on Tuesday, officials said. Ukraine's president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, posted that the 'completely deliberate' strike on civilians was 'all you need to know about Russia's 'desire' to end this war'. Russia also fired rocket artillery at Chystovodivka village in the Kharkiv region, killing two people and injuring three others, said the regional governor, Oleh Syniehubov. The attacks came a day after direct peace talks in Istanbul made no progress on ending the fighting – and as Dmitry Medvedev, Putin's former prime minister and proxy president now on Russia's security council, strongly suggested there was no sincere effort from the Kremlin's side. 'The Istanbul talks are not for striking a compromise peace on someone else's delusional terms but for ensuring our swift victory and the complete destruction [of Ukraine's government],' he said. Zelenskyy's chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, posted after meeting Trump envoy Keith Kellogg on Tuesday: '[Russia is] playing for time, manipulating the talks, trying to avoid US sanctions and not wanting a ceasefire.' The Ukrainian foreign minister, Andrii Sybiha, said that at their latest talks in Istanbul 'the Russian side passed a set of old ultimatums that do not move the situation any closer to true peace'. Russia meanwhile ignored a request to comment on Ukraine's ceasefire proposals, he said. 'We demand Russia's reply. Each day of silence from them proves their wish to continue the war.' Britain pledged on Wednesday to supply 100,000 drones to Ukraine by April 2026. The £350m package is part of a broader £4.5bn military support initiative that the UK defence secretary, John Healey, will make at a 50-nation Ukraine defence contact group meeting in Brussels co-hosted with Germany. For the first time since the group was created, the US defence secretary – currently Pete Hegseth – will not be there when all the other defence ministers meet.
