Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky described the results of the massive drone strike on Russian air bases as "excellent". According to him, in the three years since the start of the war, this is the "operation with the greatest range" organized by Kiev, reported Agence France-Presse, quoted by BTA.
The Ukrainian leader added that the Ukrainian agents who participated in the preparation of the strikes were withdrawn from Russian territory in time. Earlier, the Ministry of Defense announced that several "involved" people were arrested.
Last night, the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) announced that it had hit Russian military aircraft worth a total of $7 billion in a wave of drone attacks on Russian air bases thousands of kilometers from the front line.
"Seven billion dollars: this is the estimated value of the enemy strategic aviation hit in the SBU special operation," the service said in a post on social media.
The Telegram message added that 34% of aircraft capable of carrying strategic cruise missiles were destroyed in the attack.
The data provided could not be independently verified.
Ukraine did not warn the United States in advance about the attacks on Russian air bases, a Ukrainian official told Reuters.
According to the Ukrainian The SBU counterintelligence service, which claimed responsibility for the attacks, said a total of 41 Russian military aircraft were hit. The Russian Defense Ministry reported that aircraft at bases in two regions caught fire, but added that the flames were quickly extinguished.
The President of Ukraine listened to a report by the head of the SBU counterintelligence service of Ukraine (SBU) Vasyl Malyuk on the results of the operation codenamed "Cobweb", Ukrinform reported, citing a post by Zelensky on Facebook.
""Absolutely brilliant result. A result achieved only by Ukraine. One year, six months and nine days from the start of planning to effective implementation (...)", Zelensky noted, quoted by Ukrinform. He thanked General Malyuk for the successful mission and instructed the SBU to inform the Ukrainians of all the details and results of the mission that can be made public.
"Of course, not everything can be revealed at this moment, but these are Ukrainian actions that will undoubtedly go down in history books. Ukraine is defending itself and has the right to do so - we are doing everything possible to make Russia feel the need to end this war. "Russia started this war and Russia must end it," the Ukrainian president noted, quoted by Ukrinform.
The head of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) Vasyl Malyuk announced that Russia is suffering colossal losses as a result of the Ukrainian attacks, and since the spring of last year it has been forced to stop its gasoline exports, UNIAN reports, quoted by FOCUS.
''The Russians are hitting civilians, and Ukraine is hitting only the enemy's military targets,'', the SBU chief said at the "Ukraine. Year 2025" forum.
"The enemy is striking, carrying out missile and artillery attacks - this is real terrorism. We, for our part, are choosing exclusively legitimate targets. Among the successfully hit are 48 targets, including military targets - ammunition depots, airfields with military aircraft, including the oil production and oil refining industry. There is another very important difference between us. When the enemy attacks our energy sector, this is actually an act of genocide, and this is one of the qualifying signs according to which the Ministry of Internal Affairs has declared Putin suspicious. We, in turn, are hitting an oil refining complex, which is officially a complex that supplies the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation with dirty rubles," notes Malyuk.
He added that the corresponding movement of funds was recorded and attached to the materials of the relevant criminal proceedings. According to Malyuk, as a result of the work done, the Russians were forced to stop their gasoline exports since the spring of last year.
"They are suffering huge losses. "If translated into dollar equivalent, taking into account the unearned benefit, these are about 11 billion losses," the SBU chief said.
He boasted that Ukraine has developed a new appropriate methodology and tactics for using UAVs.
"We work on the front line, and this is 20 km, 20-40, 40-80, 80-120 and 120+ deep into the enemy's rear. 120+ is essentially a deep strike, the so-called long-range operations. And for each of these distances today we have professional operators and the appropriate means. If we talk about the work of combat drones in general, then this is essentially 85% of the destruction of the enemy's manpower and its armored vehicles", notes Malyuk.
The head of the SBU also spoke about the consequences of the defeat of the units, in particular those in Toropets, Russia.
"If we talk about the destruction of military facilities, then everyone remembers the corresponding warehouses in the village of Toropets, which exploded very strongly and as a result there were even four earthquakes. "160 thousand tons of enemy ammunition were destroyed there, including half of all stocks of 120-mm mines, which were used as a hot meal for their soldiers," the military stressed.
Malyuk added that many more such operations were carried out and not only the SBU, but also the State Security Service (GRU), the SSO, the Unmanned Systems Forces and others participated in their implementation.