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NDTV
an hour ago
- Politics
- NDTV
Satellite Pics Of 2 Russian Airbases Reveal Extent Of Damage By Ukrainian Drones
Quick Read Summary is AI generated, newsroom reviewed. 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."
NDTV
5 hours ago
- General
- NDTV
Putin Said Very Strongly He'll "Have To Respond": Trump On Ukraine Drone Strike
Washington DC / Moscow: US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that he and Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke for more than an hour during which the Russian leader made it very clear that Moscow will "have to respond" to the daring drone attack launched by Ukraine deep inside Russia. "Putin said very strongly that he will have to respond to Ukraine's drone attack," President Trump said immediately after getting off the phone with his Russian counterpart, however, he deleted the post minutes after sharing it - a screengrab of which may be seen below: On Sunday, Ukraine carried out what has been described by war analysts as the most audacious drone attack in military history, targeting and destroying Russian Air Force jets parked at strategic air bases deep inside Russian territory. The attack left dozens of Russia's strategic bombers, transport aircraft, and airborne warning aircraft decimated. 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. The attack has given a huge boost to Kyiv's morale, while creating a big dent on the morale of Moscow. Though peace talks between Kyiv and Moscow went as planned a day after the stunning attack, the conflict has intensified in the last 48 hours. Meanwhile, President Trump spoke with President Putin today. "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," President Trump posted on his social media platform Truth Social. He said that today discussion was "good, 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," President Trump revealed. The Russian President's warning comes two days after Ukraine's Zelensky claimed that as many as 41 Russian military jets were destroyed in the Trojan-horse styled attack, in which drones were sent secretly concealed in container trucks before being deployed remotely. The air bases targeted by Ukraine were 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. These attacks are being called the most audacious in military history due to its scale and reach. 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. During the call on Tuesday, Presidents Trump and Putin "also discussed Iran, and the fact that time is running out on Iran's decision pertaining to nuclear weapons, which must be made quickly! I stated to President Putin that Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon and, on this, I believe that we were in agreement," President Trump said. "President Putin suggested that he will participate in the discussions with Iran and that he could, perhaps, be helpful in getting this brought to a rapid conclusion. It is my opinion that Iran has been slowwalking their decision on this very important matter, and we will need a definitive answer in a very short period of time," the US President stated.
The Guardian
5 hours ago
- General
- The Guardian
Ukraine releases dramatic FPV footage of drone attack on Russian airbases
Ukraine has released dramatic edited footage of its drone attack on four Russian military airbases. The attack, dubbed Operation Spiderweb, was 18 months in the making, and involved the use of remotely operated drones from Ukrainian territory. Russian planes and jets were targeted on runways across Russia and destroyed by the Ukrainian drones. Scenes of carnage were visible from the footage with Russian planes engulfed in balls of fire
India.com
8 hours ago
- Politics
- India.com
US's F-47, China's J-35, or Russia's Su-57: Which is the most advanced fighter jet in the world? Its speed is.., top features include...
Due to the ongoing tensions across the globe, several countries are continuously updating their defence mechanism, weapons, and military technologies. Fighter jets are among the most powerful symbols of a nation's military might in modern warfare. Several countries, including the United States, Russia, and China, are continuously advancing their fifth- and sixth-generation fighter programs to enhance their air superiority. But is America's F-47 truly the most advanced of them all? Or do Russia's Su-57 and China's J-35A outperform it in key areas? Expected to be ready for action by 2029, the F-47 is the United States' next big leap in fighter jets. It is a cutting-edge sixth-generation stealth aircraft currently in the early stages of development. Built by Boeing as part of the Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) program, this jet is designed to redefine what aerial combat means and keep the US ahead in the skies. F-47 (NGAD) Known to be the successor to the F-22 Raptor, this sixth-generation stealth fighter has been in Boeing's works since 2020. Interestingly, prototypes of the aircraft took to the skies back in 2019 and 2022, showing promising progress. The plan is to have it fully ready and operational sometime between 2025 and 2029, bringing a new era to air combat. Speaking about its speed, the F-47 can fly at speeds exceeding Mach 2 (about 2,470 km/h) and has a combat radius of over 1,000 nautical miles—around 70% farther than the F-22's range. Nicknamed 'Stealth++,' its stealth technology outperforms both the F-22 and F-35, making it incredibly hard to detect by radar or infrared sensors. The F-47 is powered by advanced turbofan engines such as the Pratt & Whitney XA103 or GE XA102. It is equipped with a modular weapons system that allows for long-range missile launches and even drone control. On top of that, it incorporates advanced sensor fusion, AI-powered data networking, and coordinated drone operations, making it a truly next-generation fighter. The F-47 is built to work as part of a 'system of systems,' meaning it can team up with two to five cooperative combat drones like the YFQ-42 and YFQ-44 to take on missions together. However, this advanced capability comes with a hefty price. Surprisingly, each jet costs between $160 and $300 million, which is a lot more than the F-35. While it promises impressive potential, its true combat performance is still waiting to be tested in the field. Speaking about Russia's Su-57 Felon, it is a fifth-generation stealth fighter that first took to the skies back in 2010. Later in 2020, it was inducted into the Russian Air Force. It can reach speeds above Mach 2 and even supports supercruise, meaning it can fly at supersonic speeds without needing afterburners. One of its strengths is its impressive range—it can fly up to 3,500 km without refueling and extend that to 4,500 km using external tanks. However, its stealth isn't quite as advanced as some rivals; with a radar cross-section between 0.1 and 0.5 square meters, it's easier to detect than jets like the F-35. The Su-57 is powered by two AL-41F1 engines, each producing 35,000 pounds of thrust, and it carries a wide range of weapons on 12 hardpoints, including internal bays. Due to thrust vectoring technology, it's incredibly agile and excels in maneuverability. It's also much more affordable, costing between $35 and $50 million per jet. However, production has been limited to fewer than 40 units, with output slowed down by the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. So far, its combat experience is limited, mostly involving missions in Syria. China's J-35A is an advanced version of the Shenyang FC-31, built as a fifth-generation stealth fighter specifically for naval missions. It made a striking debut at the 2024 Zhuhai Airshow and can reach speeds up to Mach 1.8 (around 2,200 km/h), with a range close to 2,000 km.
Asia Times
9 hours ago
- Politics
- Asia Times
Ukraine shows it knows wars are never won in the past
The iconoclastic American general Douglas MacArthur once said that 'wars are never won in the past.' That sentiment certainly seemed to ring true following Ukraine's recent audacious attack on Russia's strategic bomber fleet, using small, cheap drones housed in wooden pods and transported near Russian airfields in trucks. The synchronized operation targeted Russian Air Force planes as far away as Irkutsk – more than 5,000 kilometers from Ukraine. Early reports suggest around a third of Russia's long-range bombers were either destroyed or badly damaged. Russian military bloggers have put the estimated losses lower, but agree the attack was catastrophic for the Russian Air Force, which has struggled to adapt to Ukrainian tactics. This particular attack was reportedly 18 months in the making. To keep it secret was an extraordinary feat. Notably, Kyiv reportedly did not inform the United States that the attack was in the offing. The Ukrainians judged – perhaps understandably – that sharing intelligence on their plans could have alerted the Kremlin in relatively short order. Ukraine's success once again demonstrates that its armed forces and intelligence services are the modern masters of battlefield innovation and operational security. Western military planners have been carefully studying Ukraine's successes ever since its forces managed to blunt Russia's initial onslaught deep into its territory in early 2022, and then launched a stunning counteroffensive that drove the Russian invaders back towards their original starting positions. There have been other lessons, too, about how the apparently weak can stand up to the strong. These include: attacks on Russian President Vladimir Putin's vanity project, the Kerch Bridge, linking the Russian mainland to occupied Crimea (the last assault occurred just days ago) the relentless targeting of Russia's oil and gas infrastructure with drones attacks against targets in Moscow to remind the Russian populace about the war, and its incursion into the Kursk region, which saw Ukrainian forces capture around 1,000 square kilometres of Russian territory. On each occasion, Western defense analysts have questioned the wisdom of Kyiv's moves. Why invade Russia using your best troops when Moscow's forces continue laying waste to cities in Ukraine? Why hit Russia's energy infrastructure if it doesn't markedly impede the battlefield mobility of Russian forces? And why attack symbolic targets like bridges when it could provoke Putin into dangerous 'escalation'? The answer to this is the key to effective innovation during wartime. Ukraine's defense and security planners have interpreted their missions – and their best possible outcomes – far more accurately than conventional wisdom would have thought. Above all, they have focused on winning the war they are in, rather than those of the past. This means: using technological advancements to force the Russians to change their tactics shaping the information environment to promote their narratives and keep vital Western aid flowing, and deploying surprise attacks not just as ways to boost public morale, but also to impose disproportionate costs on the Russian state. In doing so, Ukraine has had an eye for strategic effects. As the smaller nation reliant on international support, this has been the only logical choice. Putin has been prepared to commit a virtually inexhaustible supply of expendable cannon fodder to continue his country's war ad infinitum. Russia has typically won its wars this way – by attrition – albeit at a tremendous human and material cost. That said, Ukraine's most recent surprise attack does not change the overall contours of the war. The only person with the ability to end it is Putin himself. That's why Ukraine is putting as much pressure as possible on his regime, as well as domestic and international perceptions of it. It is key to Ukraine's theory of victory. This is also why the latest drone attack is so significant. Russia needs its long-range bomber fleet, not just to fire conventional cruise missiles at Ukrainian civilian and infrastructure targets, but as aerial delivery systems for its strategic nuclear arsenal. The destruction of even a small portion of Russia's deterrence capability has the potential to affect its nuclear strategy. It has increasingly relied on this strategy to threaten the West. A second impact of the attack is psychological. The drone attacks are more likely to enrage Putin than bring him to the bargaining table. However, they reinforce to the Russian military that there are few places – even on its own soil – that its air force can act with operational impunity. The surprise attacks also provide a shot in the arm domestically, reminding Ukrainians they remain very much in the fight. Finally, the drone attacks send a signal to Western leaders. US President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance, for instance, have gone to great lengths to tell the world that Ukraine is weak and has 'no cards'. This action shows Kyiv does indeed have some powerful cards to play. That may, of course, backfire: after all, Trump is acutely sensitive to being made to look a fool. He may look unkindly at resuming military aid to Ukraine after being shown up for saying Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky would be forced to capitulate without US support. But Trump's own hubris has already done that for him. His regular claims that a peace deal is just weeks away have gone beyond wishful thinking and are now monotonous. Unsurprisingly, Trump's reluctance to put anything approaching serious pressure on Putin has merely incentivised the Russian leader to string the process along. Indeed, Putin's insistence on a maximalist victory, requiring Ukrainian demobilisation and disarmament without any security guarantees for Kyiv, is not diplomacy at all. It is merely the reiteration of the same unworkable demands he has made since even before Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022. However, Ukraine's ability to smuggle drones undetected onto an opponent's territory, and then unleash them all together, will pose headaches for Ukraine's friends, as well as its enemies. That's because it makes domestic intelligence and policing part of any effective defence posture. It is a contingency that democracies will have to plan for, just as much as authoritarian regimes, who are also learning from Ukraine's lessons. In other words, while the attack has shown up Russia's domestic security services for failing to uncover the plan, Western security elites, as well as authoritarian ones, will now be wondering whether their own security apparatuses would be up to the job. The drone strikes will also likely lead to questions about how useful it is to invest in high-end and extraordinarily expensive weapons systems when they can be vulnerable. The Security Service of Ukraine estimates the damage cost Russia US$7 billion. Ukraine's drones, by comparison, cost a couple of thousand dollars each. At the very least, coming up with a suitable response to those challenges will require significant thought and effort. But as Ukraine has repeatedly shown us, you can't win wars in the past. Matthew Sussex is associate professor (Adj), Griffith Asia Institute; and fellow, Strategic and Defence Studies Centre, Australian National University This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
