Ukraine’s special forces claim to have damaged two Russian fighter jets in a nighttime raid on an airfield deep inside Russia, as Kyiv seeks to disrupt Vladimir Putin’s steady advances on the frontline. The attack, which took place at the Savasleyka airfield in the Nizhny Novgorod region, is believed to have hit MiG-31K fighters carrying Kinzhal ballistic missiles.
The operation was carried out by special operations forces and did not provide any details about its nature. However, it comes after a week of tense negotiations between Ukraine and Russia over a prisoner exchange deal. The agreement, which would see the release of 1,200 prisoners from both sides, is being hailed as a major breakthrough.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that the process was “very complex and sensitive” but that his government was doing everything it could to bring its people home. Video footage has emerged of a successful Ukrainian drone strike on a factory in Cheboksary, which is believed to have disrupted production at the facility.
The attacks inside Russia come as the Kremlin continues to escalate its missile and drone strikes against Ukraine, with 479 drones launched overnight in the war’s biggest bombardment. The Ukrainian air force said that about 20 missiles were also fired into Ukraine, targeting mainly central and western regions.
In recent weeks, Russian forces have made significant advances in the Sumy region, pushing within 18 miles of the regional capital. However, Ukraine has denied Moscow’s claims that Russian forces have pushed through the western border of Donetsk into the eastern Dnipropetrovsk region for the first time in three years.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/jun/09/ukraine-claims-to-have-damaged-russian-fighter-jets-in-night-time-raid