Satellite Pics Show How Russia Tried To Avert Ukraine Drone Strikes, But Failed

Moscow / Kyiv:

Hi-resolution satellite imagery of air bases deep inside Russia, taken before Ukraine carried out what’s been described as the most audacious drone attack in military history, shows several Russian Air Force jets parked on the tarmac. These include strategic bombers, transport aircraft, and airborne warning aircraft.

Ukraine, under its Operation Spider Web, targeted five Russian air bases after infiltrating its territory. Some of these bases are located hundreds of kilometres inside Russia, while the farthest one is located some 8,000 km from the Russia-Ukraine border. The air bases targeted by Ukraine are: 

1. Belaya Air Base in Siberia’s Irkutsk – More than 4,500 km from the border
2. Olenya Air Base in the Arctic region’s Murmansk – More than 2,000 km from the border
3. Ivanovo Severny Air Base in Ivanovo – More than 800 km from the border
4. Dyagilevo Air Base in Ryazan – More than 520 km from the border
5. Ukrainka Air Base in Russia’s Far East- More than 8,000 km from the bordAt each of these five air bases defensive measures had been observed presumably in an attempt to protect these military jets from drone attacks. A pre-strike image of the Belaya Air Base shows the Tu-160, which is the mainstay of the Russian Air Force, with tyres on its wings and fuselage – an attempt by the Russian military to keep the jets protected.