Ukraine Destroys $11 Billion in Russian Bombers in Coordinated Drone Strike
UK puts military on war footing as Russia rejects latest ceasefire offers
Ukraine executed an 18-month operation that destroyed approximately one-quarter of Russia's strategic bomber fleet worth $11 billion, dealing a significant blow to Moscow's nuclear-capable aircraft, defense experts said Tuesday.
The coordinated attack used small drones worth $2,000 to $3,000 each to simultaneously target multiple Russian airfields, according to Dr. Matthew Sussex from the Australian National University Strategic and Defence Studies Centre, speaking on ABC News Australia.
"This is a very audacious raid by the Ukrainians, which was apparently about 18 months in the making, featuring a whole bunch of small drones worth probably two to three thousand dollars each," Sussex said. "They have taken out, if the reports are right, about one quarter of Russia's entire strategic bomber fleet."
The operation targeted bombers designed to carry nuclear weapons in major conflicts, Sussex noted. The simultaneous nature of the attacks prevented Russian forces from detecting the incoming drones quickly enough to mount effective defenses.
"Each [drone] with their own little house inside a truck. And these were positioned near Russian airfields and they attacked them simultaneously, which meant that the Russians were unable to see them coming quickly enough," Sussex explained.
The strike comes as Russia continues rejecting ceasefire proposals, including those offered by the American president and discussed by U.S. delegations in New York last week, according to statements made during the ABC interview.
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