Russia-Ukraine War: 41 Fighter Jets Destroyed as Ukrainian Drone Strikes Set Russian Airbases on Fire

In a major escalation, a Ukrainian drone strike reportedly hit targets 4,000 km deep inside Russian territory. A Ukrainian defence official claimed that 41 advanced fighter jets were destroyed. Preparations for the operation had been ongoing for a year and a half, with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy personally overseeing the campaign.

Russia’s Defence Ministry confirmed the attack, stating that airbases in five regions—Irkutsk, Murmansk, Amur, Ivanovo, and Ryazan—were targeted. Meanwhile, Russia continues its aggressive campaign, claiming to have launched the largest drone strike ever on Ukraine. On Sunday, it deployed 472 drones and fired seven missiles in a coordinated assault. Twelve Ukrainian soldiers were reportedly killed. The attack occurred just before direct peace talks between Russia and Ukraine, scheduled for Monday in Istanbul.

Ukraine carries out the biggest ever swarm drone attack on multiple Russian airfields, claims over 40 aircraft damaged or destroyed deep inside Russia. These bases are 2,000 - 4,500 km inside Russia.
pic.twitter.com/czw7f2PEMh

— Arun Pudur (@arunpudur) June 1, 2025

Ukraine reported that one of its military training centres—located 1,000 km from the frontline—was hit by Russian drones around 1 a.m. Despite relocating troops across different sites, Russia’s surveillance and attack drones have continued to locate and strike Ukrainian positions. Russia also claimed to have captured the Ukrainian village of Oleksiivka.

Also Read | Ukraine war: US and Russia hold talks as drone attacks escalate.

Ukrainian military commander Mykhailo Drapati resigned following the missile strike on the training centre. He had previously led efforts to reclaim land along Ukraine's eastern border. According to Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU), the drones used in the long-range attacks were hidden in containers and transported inland by truck. Russia’s Belaya airbase, located approximately 4,000 km from the Ukrainian border, and Olenya airbase, about 1,800 km away, were among the targets. Ukraine claims to have destroyed strategic bombers including the Tu-95 and Tu-22, along with a rare A-50 aircraft—of which Russia has only ten. Each A-50 is estimated to cost around Rs 3,000 crore. Overall damage from the strike is estimated at more than Rs 17,000 crore.

Late Saturday night, two bridges were destroyed in what officials are calling Russia’s deadliest explosions in recent months. A passenger train derailed after a blast collapsed a bridge in the Bryansk region, near the Ukrainian border, killing at least seven people. Hours later, another bridge collapsed in the Kursk region. A freight train carrying food and fuel for Russian troops was also blown up in the attack, severing a key link between Russian-held Zaporizhzhia and Crimea. Russia annexed Crimea in 2014.