Aerial War in Ukraine
Russian Airfields in Flames
Text: Miro Barič
The very first day of the observed period began with the largest Ukrainian attack on Russian military airfields since the start of the war. Between June 1 and June 30, several additional smaller successful attacks occurred. In total, dozens of aircraft were destroyed, including strategic bombers, making June 2025 arguably the worst month for Russian aviation since the end of World War II. During this period, the Ukrainian Air Force lost only one aircraft—a highly valuable F-16, along with its pilot.
Operation Spiderweb: Months in the Making
Let’s rewind a few months. On February 28, a notorious confrontation occurred at the White House where U.S. President Donald Trump and especially his Vice President, J.D. Vance, publicly lashed out at Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Among other things, they bluntly claimed he held no cards in the ongoing war. Zelenskyy had to control himself—because he did have at least one ace up his sleeve.
Operation Spiderweb, a strike on Russian strategic bomber bases far from the front lines, had been in preparation for over 18 months. Only five to seven people knew about it, and due to prior information leaks, not even the U.S. or other Western allies were informed. The operation was personally directed by the head of the Ukrainian Security Service (SBU), Vasyl Maliuk.
Drone components were first smuggled into Russia and later assembled in a warehouse in Chelyabinsk, 150 km north of the Kazakhstan border. These were simple Ukrainian-made Osa quadcopters, capable of 15 minutes in the air, a top speed of 150 km/h, and carrying 3.3 kg of explosives.
At the Chelyabinsk warehouse, the drones were hidden in a false double-roof system inside wooden housing containers (similar to portable site cabins), which are common across Russia and attract no special attention. Unaware Russian truckers were then hired to transport the containers to specific sites. Once near military airfields, the drivers were ordered via phone to stop, at which point the containers’ roofs opened and the drones launched.
Targets and Execution
The plan involved five airbases:
Belaya (Irkutsk Oblast, 4,300 km from Ukraine)
Olenya (near Murmansk, 1,800 km from the front)
Dyagilevo (Ryazan Oblast)
Ivanovo Severny (200 km from Moscow)
Ukrainka (Amur Oblast, Far East)
Only the first four were hit; the attack on Ukrainka failed when the self-destruct mechanism in a container ignited prematurely.
Ukrainian drone footage of the strike on Belaya Airbase.
Smoke plumes rising from Belaya Airbase.
Tu-95MS with tail number RF-94120 at Belaya just before it got hit.
Satellite image by Planet Labs showing destroyed bombers at Belaya.
Destroyed Tu-22M3 bomber at Belaya in Maxar satellite imagery.
Strategic Bombers Caught Off Guard
The Russians were taken completely by surprise. Their air defenses were geared towards the large, long-range drones flying at night. They were entirely unprepared for small quadcopters deployed in daylight. Aircraft parked along runways exploded one by one as massive plumes of smoke rose into the sky.
The SBU claimed 41 aircraft were destroyed, likely an exaggeration. Based on drone footage and satellite images, at least 21–23 aircraft were confirmed hit—though even this may be conservative.
At Olenya, four Tu-95MS strategic bombers and one An-12 transport were completely destroyed, and one or two Tu-22M3 bombers were damaged.
At Belaya, four Tu-95MS and six or seven Tu-22M3s were lost.
At Dyagilevo, satellite imagery shows that three more Tu-22M3s were likely destroyed.
At Ivanovo, two A-50 early warning aircraft were hit—but these had already been decommissioned, missing engines and wing parts.
In total:
8 Tu-95MS strategic bombers destroyed
1 An-12 transport destroyed
7–12 Tu-22M3 medium bombers damaged or destroyed
2 A-50 AWACS hit (both decommissioned)
The Tu-22M3s and A-50s were of limited value, as they hadn’t been used in Ukraine for over a year. Not so the Tu-95MS bombers, which were fully fueled and armed with Kh-101 cruise missiles—likely preparing for a strike that evening. Ukraine struck first.
Austrian military expert Tom Cooper identified several of the destroyed bombers by serial and tail numbers:
At Olenya: RF-94132 "Voronezh", RF-94127 "Vorkuta", RF-94257 "Chelyabinsk", and either RF-94121 "Samara" or RF-94131.
At Belaya: RF-94120 "Kozak".
Ukrainian drones were hidden in double-roofed wooden containers.
Drone launched from a container, with burning aircraft in the background at Belaya.
Burning Tu-95MS bombers at Olenya Airbase.
Tu-95MS RF-94257 at Olenya moments before it got hit.
Transport aircraft An-12BK RF-94211 ("Red 11") destroyed at Olenya.
Maxar satellite images of destroyed Tu-95MS bombers at Olenya.
Ripple Effects
SBU later released footage and details about Operation Cobweb, which Russia would likely have uncovered through its own investigation anyway—this added psychological pressure.
In the aftermath, Russian authorities began stopping and searching all trucks for drones, causing long lines, traffic delays, and secondary economic damage.
Strategic bombers were relocated even further from the front. Tu-160s appeared at the Anadyr base in Chukotka—6,770 km from Ukraine. Other Tu-95MS and Tu-22M3s were moved to the Far East, some to Kamchatka. Attacks from there would require 23-hour flight missions to Ukraine and back.
New protective measures against small drones were hurriedly installed at dozens of airbases closer to the front—typically makeshift wire mesh cages. However, base personnel complained on Telegram that they were ordered to build these themselves and at their own expense.
Traditional Drone Strikes
Ukraine continued attacking Russian airfields using conventional means:
June 2: Drone strikes on Tikhoretsk (Krasnodar) and Borisoglebsk bases. Russia denied equipment losses but admitted personnel deaths.
June 5: Kamikaze drones hit Bryansk airfield; a major explosion was reported, with speculation about a destroyed Mi-8 helicopter. Satellite images later showed a large burn mark.
That night: Drone swarm attacked Millerovo airfield near the Ukrainian border.
June 6: Fuel depot near Engels-2 base ignited; Dyagilevo was hit again.
June 9: Drones targeted Savasleyka airfield near Nizhny Novgorod.
June 11 & 13: Further fires at Engels-2, including another fuel tank.
June 15 (overnight): Strike on Buturlinovka base near Voronezh.
While results are unclear unless major fires occur, explosions at night are often ambiguous—possibly just falling debris from intercepted drones.
However, two confirmed losses occurred in late June:
June 27: Ukrainian special forces and SBU attacked Marinovka base (Volgograd Oblast), destroying two Su-34 fighter-bombers and damaging two more. Satellite images showed cratered terrain and burnt-out aircraft.
June 28: SBU struck Kirovskoe base in occupied Crimea, claiming destruction of three helicopters and a Pantsir air defense system. Satellite images confirmed one Mi-26 helicopter destroyed and another heavily damaged—the first confirmed Mi-26 loss of the war.
Two Aircraft Lost in the Air
June 7: A Russian Su-35S was shot down over Yurasovo (Kursk Oblast). The pilot ejected safely. Rumors of an F-16 shootdown were dismissed; most likely it was hit by a Ukrainian Patriot system.
June 13: Near Soledar, a Su-25SM lost a wing during a post-strike turn due to wear and poor maintenance. The pilot ejected and survived.
Total Losses and Conclusions
Between June 1–30, Russia lost 29 to 33 aircraft and helicopters. The most devastating were the eight Tu-95MS strategic bombers—irreplaceable due to limited production capability.
Explosion at Bryansk Airbase on June 5th, allegedly destroying a Mi-8 helicopter.
Russia's Ministry of Defense stock photo of Su-34 aircraft
Additional Ukrainian Strikes
Ukraine also targeted:
June 3: Explosives detonated at the pillars of the Crimean Bridge. No damage claimed by Russia, but rail and truck traffic was suspended.
June 5: Ukrainian strike destroyed three Iskander-M launchers near Bryansk, killing eight officers including Lt. Colonel Oleg Podozerov.
June 8–9: Strikes on an explosives factory in Tula, a petrochemical plant near Kstovo, two electronic warfare component factories in Chuvashia, and a gunpowder plant in Kazan. A Russian infantry base in Rylsk (Kursk Oblast) was also hit—several officers from the notorious 155th Naval Infantry Brigade were reported killed.
June 11: Gunpowder plant hit near Tambov.
June 13: HIMARS strike on a Russian troop gathering destroyed several buses and trucks, killing at least 20.
June 22: A train carrying fuel was struck near Tokmak (occupied Zaporizhzhia Oblast), burning at least 12 tankers.
Ongoing attempts were made to strike the Shahed drone factory in Yelabuga (Tatarstan), over 1,000 km away—making it difficult for drones to carry enough explosives and survive the journey.
Craters and scorch marks at Marinovka Airbase, where Su-34s were parked on June 27th.
Mi-26 helicopter severely damaged (likely irreparably) at Kirovskoye Airbase on June 28th.
Russian Su-35S shot down in Kursk region on June 7th.
Russian Su-25SM crashed on June 13th in Donetsk region after the wing separation during a turn.
Enhanced Shahed Drones
Despite recent Ukrainian operations, Russia’s drone production facility in Jelabuga remains a key target. Shahed drones continue to pose increasing challenges for Ukraine. Even before Operation Spiderweb, Russia was already limiting the use of strategic bombers and ramping up deployment of Shahed drones. These drones have been progressively improved — they now fly at higher altitudes, over 2 km, which reduces the effectiveness of mobile anti-air teams equipped with machine guns. Russia has also begun using new Chinese electronics that are more resistant to jamming, improving drone precision. Additionally, the drones are now equipped with more destructive warheads.
Russian Airstrikes
The first major attack during the monitoring period occurred overnight on June 1st. Russia launched seven cruise missiles and 472 Shahed drones — a record at the time since the war began. Ukrainian air defense shot down three missiles and 213 drones. Another 172 drones crashed due to electronic jamming or were decoy targets meant to overwhelm air defenses.
On the morning of Sunday, June 1st, Russian missiles struck a Ukrainian training ground, killing 12 soldiers and wounding 60 more. Such incidents are reportedly frequent, attributed to systemic errors on Ukraine’s part. Following this attack, Mykhailo Vasylovych Drapatyi, Commander of Ukraine’s Ground Forces, submitted his resignation.
As previously reported, Russia prepared for another major strike overnight on June 2nd, but it was thwarted by Operation Spiderweb. With another round of ceasefire talks scheduled in Turkey, Russia had hoped to attend from a position of strength. Instead, on Monday, June 2nd, they launched "only" 80 drones and four missiles.
A larger assault followed on Friday, June 6th, when Russia deployed 407 drones and 44 cruise missiles. Ukrainian defenses neutralized 368 drones and 38 missiles. Russia's primary objective — aside from striking key targets — was to terrorize civilians. Among the targets were a motor plant in Lutsk, and residential buildings, a clinic, a high school, a library, and a metro entrance in Kyiv. Three firefighters were killed while battling fires during the bombardment.
On Saturday, June 7th, Kharkiv came under intense fire for four hours from missiles, drones, glide bombs, and artillery. At least six people were killed and 17 injured.
On Monday, June 9th, Ukraine's air defense scored a rare, decisive success. Of 499 kamikaze drones — a new record — 464 were neutralized (277 shot down, 187 jammed). Of 20 missiles and cruise missiles, 19 were destroyed, including all four Kinzhal missiles launched. One of the targets was an airbase in Dubno, where Russia likely aimed to hit Ukrainian F-16s. The outcome is unclear, though Russian propaganda circulated an AI-generated image of dozens of destroyed F-16s at the airbase — easily identified as a fake by poor rendering (e.g., tail fins awkwardly placed on cockpit canopies). Despite this, many propagandist channels shared the image uncritically, including some in Central Europe.
On Sunday, June 15th, the main target was Kremenchuk. Russia launched 183 drones (159 shot down) and 11 missiles (eight destroyed, including two Kinzhals). Of these, 80 projectiles were aimed at Kremenchuk.
A devastating air raid on Tuesday, June 17th, struck Kyiv and Odesa. Of 440 Shahed drones, 402 were neutralized; of 32 missiles, 26 were destroyed. Ukrainian air defense downed both Kinzhals but failed to intercept any of the four Kalibr cruise missiles. In addition to energy infrastructure, the strike damaged post offices, grain transport trains, and a university dormitory. Cluster munitions also struck apartment buildings. Rescue efforts lasted days. In Kyiv alone, 30 civilians were killed and 172 injured.
On Monday, June 23rd, another large-scale attack on Kyiv resulted in nine deaths. Among the targets were a university and apartment buildings. That same day, a Russian Lancet drone targeted teenagers playing volleyball in Novi Borovychi, near Chernihiv. The operator must have seen the victims were civilians — two children were killed, and 11 others injured.
During another strike on Tuesday, June 24th, a passenger train between Zaporizhzhia and Odesa, as well as schools, residential blocks, and a hospital in Dnipro, were hit. At least 17 people were killed and 280 injured, including 27 children.
Aftermath of Russian attacks on Odesa.
June 17th strike on Kyiv left 30 civilians dead.
Loss of an F-16
On Friday, June 27th, Russia launched 363 drones and eight missiles, primarily targeting Dnipro. Ukrainian defenses shot down 365 of 371 projectiles. The remaining six killed four people and injured 17.
A massive attack came on Sunday, June 29th, when 477 Shahed drones and 60 missiles were launched. Ukraine neutralized 475 of them, but 62 hit their targets, striking locations from Lviv to Mykolaiv.
During the defense, Ukraine suffered its only confirmed F-16 loss during this period. Lieutenant Colonel Maksym Ustymenko downed seven Russian drones and missiles before either colliding with another object or being hit by debris. He managed to steer his jet away from populated areas but did not eject and was killed.
This marks Ukraine’s fourth confirmed F-16 loss — two of which occurred during mass missile attacks. These losses highlight Ukraine's insufficient air defenses, which Western allies have not been able to supply in adequate numbers, even after 3.5 years of war. Toward the end of the monitoring period, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth again halted military aid shipments, including Patriot missiles — a unilateral decision made despite analysis showing U.S. stockpiles were not at risk. The U.S. had earlier redirected deliveries of 70mm APKWS laser-guided rockets — highly effective and low-cost anti-drone weapons — to the Middle East. A single F-16 armed with these can destroy dozens of drones per sortie. Each pod holds seven rockets, and an F-16 can carry three pods per pylon on up to four pylons — up to 84 APKWS rockets total. But Israel’s operations in Iran were prioritized over protecting Ukrainian civilians, who continue to die almost every night.
Russian “proof” of destroyed F-16s at an airbase. (How many flaws you can find?)
Lt. Col. Maksym Ustymenko killed on June 29th in his F-16 while repelling a Russian air raid.
A Hungarian in Command
Finally, one notable development: In June 2024, Ukraine officially created the Unmanned Systems Forces as an independent branch of its Armed Forces. This marks the ninth such branch, alongside Ground Forces, Naval Infantry, Navy, Air Force, Air Assault, Special Operations, Territorial Defense, and Medical Forces.
On June 3rd, Major Robert Brovdi — known by the nickname "The Hungarian" — was appointed as commander of the drone forces. A native of Uzhhorod in the Zakarpattia region and of Hungarian ethnicity, he joined the Territorial Defense right before the Russian invasion in February 2022 and fought in Kyiv, Irpin, and Bucha. Drawing on his business background, he raised funds and procured the first drones for his unit. His operators, known as “The Hungarian’s Birds,” were deployed to key frontline areas. In May 2025, Brovdi was awarded the title Hero of Ukraine and soon after became commander of the drone forces. He has promised sweeping reforms within three months to improve logistics and effectiveness.
Robert Brovdi ("The Hungarian") in foreground, surrounded by successful drone unit commanders. Brovdi now leads Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems Force.
Raven is a cheap short-range mobile air defense system developed for Ukraine by the UK. It uses ASRAAM missiles on launch rails from decommissioned aircraft such as Jaguar and Tornado. The chassis is a Supacat HMZ 600. As the photo shows, Raven has proven itself in Ukraine.