[BostonCard]

More from the WSJ (should not be paywalled):

https://www.wsj.com/world/russia/ukraine..._permalink

The attack, dubbed “Spider’s Web,” took a year and a half to prepare, officials at Ukraine’s main security and intelligence agency, the SBU, said on Sunday. Ukraine’s drones targeted Russia’s Belaya, Ivanovo, Dyagilevo and Olenya air bases, all of which house Russian military planes.

…

Ukrainian intelligence officials said the agency moved dozens of small quadcopter drones to Russian territory. It then moved wooden containers to Russia, which were used to hide the drones ahead of the attack. When it came time to strike, the containers were placed on trucks and the lids of the containers were opened remotely. The swarm of drones flew out to find their targets.

…

Losing dozens of long-range aircraft vital to Russia’s nuclear forces and its attacks on Ukraine would gravely damage Russian military strength. Russia no longer produces the Tu-95MS or Tu-22M3 planes that were among those damaged, according to Ukrainian intelligence officials.

Russia before the attacks had 54 Tu-22M3s and 58 Tu-95Ms, according to Military Balance+, a database produced by the International Institute of Strategic Studies, a London think tank. It isn’t clear how many of those planes were operational. In Russia, old planes have long been kept and cannibalized for spare parts.

BC

[BostonCard]

More from the WSJ (should not be paywalled):

https://www.wsj.com/world/russia/ukraine..._permalink

The attack, dubbed “Spider’s Web,” took a year and a half to prepare, officials at Ukraine’s main security and intelligence agency, the SBU, said on Sunday. Ukraine’s drones targeted Russia’s Belaya, Ivanovo, Dyagilevo and Olenya air bases, all of which house Russian military planes.

…

Ukrainian intelligence officials said the agency moved dozens of small quadcopter drones to Russian territory. It then moved wooden containers to Russia, which were used to hide the drones ahead of the attack. When it came time to strike, the containers were placed on trucks and the lids of the containers were opened remotely. The swarm of drones flew out to find their targets.

…

Losing dozens of long-range aircraft vital to Russia’s nuclear forces and its attacks on Ukraine would gravely damage Russian military strength. Russia no longer produces the Tu-95MS or Tu-22M3 planes that were among those damaged, according to Ukrainian intelligence officials.

Russia before the attacks had 54 Tu-22M3s and 58 Tu-95Ms, according to Military Balance+, a database produced by the International Institute of Strategic Studies, a London think tank. It isn’t clear how many of those planes were operational. In Russia, old planes have long been kept and cannibalized for spare parts.

BC