• Ukrainian drone attack claims to have destroyed over 40 Russian military aircraft.
• Operation “Spider's Web” reportedly took 18 months to prepare.
• Satellite images show extensive damage at multiple Russian airbases, including Belaya and Olenya.
• Ukraine asserts losses to the Russian bomber fleet exceed $7 billion.
• The drone operation involved covert tactics and was conducted deep inside Russian territory.

New satellite images released by various sources indicate significant damage inflicted by Ukraine’s recent drone attack on multiple Russian airbases. The operation, dubbed "Spider's Web," reportedly destroyed over 40 military bombers, including strategic aircraft such as Tu-95 and Tu-22M3, which are vital to Russia’s military capabilities. Ukrainian officials estimated the damage to Russian forces exceeding $7 billion as a result of the strike, making it one of the most consequential operations in the ongoing conflict, according to Business Insider, BBC, and ABC News.

Details about the strike reveal that planning for this operation took over 18 months, with drone units smuggled inside Russian territory. The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) executed this attack using swarms of first-person-view (FPV) drones launched from trucks near the targeted airbases. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy hailed this mission as "a brilliant operation for the history books," emphasizing its strategic importance in the ongoing conflict, as reported by India Times, CBS News, and BBC.

Images from the aftermath of the drone attacks display serious damage at the Belaya and Olenya airbases, where at least 12 aircraft were confirmed damaged or destroyed, according to analysis by satellite imaging experts. The drone footage released by the SBU shows the precise moments of the attacks and the significant destruction inflicted, including footage of drones targeting planes on fire at Olenya airbase, corroborating eyewitness reports of chaos during the strikes, as stated by ABC News and Business Insider.

While Ukrainian officials maintain that the operation was a major success, Russian authorities have downplayed its severity, claiming that the damage has been exaggerated. The Russian Defense Ministry confirmed some fires and damage occurred but asserted that they had been extinguished quickly and insisted on the operational readiness of their remaining air force assets. However, military analysts speculate that the loss of even a fraction of the bombers could severely hinder Russia's missile launching capabilities, potentially impacting future military operations, according to India Times and CBS News.

This unprecedented attack marks a significant escalation in the ongoing conflict between Ukraine and Russia, with commentators remarking that the operation's complex nature indicates a shifting dynamics in military engagements within the region. As both sides continue to exchange hostilities, the strategic implications of this strike are widely discussed, highlighting the evolving landscape of warfare in the current conflict, according to India Times, ABC News, and BBC.