Ukraine drone attack hits more than 40 Russian bomber planes, claims Ukrainian security service

Paul Adams
Diplomatic correspondent

Ukraine claims to have hit more than 40 Russian bombers, in what appears to be one of the most audacious attacks so far on Russian aviation.

According to a statement from Ukraine’s security service, the SBU, “enemy strategic bombers are burning en masse in Russia”.

It says Ukraine is conducting “a large scale special operation aimed at destroying enemy bomber aircraft.”
It says more than 40 aircraft have been hit.

It has released dramatic video which it says shows a drone attack at the Belaya airbase in Irkutsk oblast, in Siberia. Bombers are under attack, with explosions visible and smoke rising.

Reports suggest other aircraft have been attacked at the Olenya airbase, near Murmansk.
Russian media is reporting the attack in Murmansk but says air defences are working. The attack in Irkutsk is also being reported.

Meanwhile, the Ukrainian authorities say that 472 drones and seven ballistic and cruise missiles were involved in last night’s wave of attacks on Ukraine. This would appear to be one largest single Russian drone attacks so far. Ukraine says it neutralised 385 aerial targets.