Friday, 12 September, 2025
London, UK
Friday, September 12, 2025 8:21 AM
few clouds 13.3°C
Condition: Few clouds
Humidity: 79%
Wind Speed: 14.8 km/h

Ukraine says it hit dozens of Russian bombers in daring drone attack

KYIV — The Security Service of Ukraine sent a barrage of drones to attack four military airfields in Russia on Sunday, hitting 41 of Moscow’s strategic bombers, an official with the service told POLITICO.

The daring attack came the day before the next round of Russia-Ukraine negotiations is set to take place in Istanbul.

“Russia’s military planes are currently burning at the Belaya, Diaghilev, Olenya and Ivanovo airfields,” said the official from the service, also known as the SBU.

SBU chief Vasyl Malyuk “personally curated the operation,” the official told POLITICO, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss military operations.

“Thanks to Malyuk … Russia has now understood the true meaning of the word demilitarization,” the official said.

The official showed a video of Russian bombers burning at one of the airfields that could not be independently verified. Russian authorities have not issued any official statements on the drone attacks.

Video via SBU

“Today will later be called the dark day of Russia’s long-range aviation,” Russian military aviation blogger Ilya Tumanov, known as Fighterbomber, said in a Telegram post. “And the day is not over yet.”

The SBU official said that to prepare for the operation, called “Pavutyna”(web), Ukrainian operatives delivered FPV drones to Russia territory along with mobile wooden housings.

“Later, in the Russian Federation, the drones were hidden under the roofs of housings, already placed on trucks. At the right moment, the roofs of the housings were opened remotely, and the drones flew to strike the Russian bombers,” the official said.

The official said all people involved in the complex logistical operation were already safely back in Ukraine.

Russia has been using Olenya and other airfields to attack Ukraine with missiles and drones.

On Sunday, a Russian missile hit one of the training grounds of Ukraine’s Land Forces, killing 12 people and injuring more than 60 others, the Land Forces said in a statement.

 “To clarify all the circumstances and causes of the personnel losses, a commission has been created and an internal investigation has been appointed at the Land Forces Command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The command and personnel of the eastern operational command will also provide full assistance to the work of law enforcement agencies,” the statement said.

LP Staff Writers

Writers at Lord’s Press come from a range of professional backgrounds, including history, diplomacy, heraldry, and public administration. Many publish anonymously or under initials—a practice that reflects the publication’s long-standing emphasis on discretion and editorial objectivity. While they bring expertise in European nobility, protocol, and archival research, their role is not to opine, but to document. Their focus remains on accuracy, historical integrity, and the preservation of events and individuals whose significance might otherwise go unrecorded.

Categories

Follow

    Newsletter

    Subscribe to receive your complimentary login credentials and unlock full access to all features and stories from Lord’s Press.

    As a journal of record, Lord’s Press remains freely accessible—thanks to the enduring support of our distinguished partners and patrons. Subscribing ensures uninterrupted access to our archives, special reports, and exclusive notices.

    LP is free thanks to our Sponsors

    Privacy Overview

    Privacy & Cookie Notice

    This website uses cookies to enhance your browsing experience and to help us understand how our content is accessed and used. Cookies are small text files stored in your browser that allow us to recognise your device upon return, retain your preferences, and gather anonymised usage statistics to improve site performance.

    Under EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), we process this data based on your consent. You will be prompted to accept or customise your cookie preferences when you first visit our site.

    You may adjust or withdraw your consent at any time via the cookie settings link in the website footer. For more information on how we handle your data, please refer to our full Privacy Policy