Ukraine’s drone attack hit around 20 Russian warplanes, not 40 reported by Kyiv, U.S. officials report

Published 04/06/2025, 21:02
Ukraine’s drone attack hit around 20 Russian warplanes, not 40 reported by Kyiv, U.S. officials report

Investing.com -- Ukraine drone attack over the weekend struck as many as 20 Russian warplanes, according to assessments by U.S. officials quoted by Reuters. The attack reportedly destroyed approximately 10 of these aircraft, a figure that stands in contrast to the higher estimates provided by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy.

The U.S. officials still described the drone attack as highly significant. They warned that the event could potentially influence Moscow to adopt a more severe stance in the U.S.-mediated negotiations aimed at ending the ongoing conflict, which has lasted for over three years.

Ukraine has reported that it targeted four Russian air bases using 117 unmanned aerial vehicles. These drones were launched from containers situated near the targets, as part of an operation referred to as "Spider’s Web."

On Wednesday, Ukraine released video footage showing its drones striking Russian strategic bombers and landing on the dome antennas of two A-50 military spy planes. It’s worth noting that there are only a few of these spy planes in Russia’s fleet.

The U.S. officials’ estimate of the damage caused by the Ukrainian drone strikes is significantly lower than the figures provided by President Zelenskiy. Speaking to reporters in Kyiv earlier on Wednesday, Zelenskiy claimed that half of the 41 Russian aircraft hit by the strikes were damaged beyond repair.

This article was generated with the support of AI and reviewed by an editor. For more information see our T&C.

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