A propaganda war is brewing between Kyiv and Moscow over the extent of damage from a Ukrainian drone attack on Russian airfields. While Russia claims that none of its planes were destroyed, satellite images taken by independent companies and analyzed by NBC News reveal that at least 10 planes were indeed damaged.
According to NATO, around 40 aircraft were damaged, but only 10-13 were completely destroyed. This contradicts Ukraine’s claim of 41 Russian aircraft being hit. Satellite imagery from Planet Labs and Maxar confirms that six aircraft at Belaya airfield were completely destroyed, including three Tupolev Tu-95 strategic bombers.
Experts say that the loss of these aircraft degrades Russia’s strategic and nuclear capabilities. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy hailed the operation as a “brilliant result” that took 18 months to plan, while Russia describes it as a “terrorist attack.” The difference in numbers highlights the conflicting narratives on both sides.
The Ukrainian military used 117 small drones, which were deployed near Russian air bases. While they claim to have destroyed four aircraft at Olenya air base, satellite imagery shows only two aircraft with visible signs of damage.
The incident has been hailed as a remarkable feat of intelligence and planning by Ukraine, but Russia disputes the scale of the attack. As one expert notes, “You can’t just go to the factory and get a new one” – once an aircraft is lost, it’s gone forever.
Source: https://www.nbcnews.com/world/ukraine/ukraine-spiderweb-drone-attack-russia-kyiv-moscow-osint-satellite-rcna211381