US denies Ukraine’s figures on downed Russian planes – Reuters
5 June 2025 08:05
The United States claims that the Ukrainian drone attack on Russian air bases destroyed about 10 aircraft and damaged up to 20, which is about half the number reported by Ukraine. This was reported by Reuters with reference to two American officials, "Komersant Ukrainian" reports.
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The US is afraid of escalation
Despite the differences in estimates, American officials called the attack very significant. One of them warned that it could lead to a tougher stance by Moscow in the negotiations.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said in a telephone conversation with U.S. President Donald Trump that Moscow would have to respond to the attack. Trump wrote on social media that it was “a good conversation, but not one that will lead to immediate peace.”
Trump’s special envoy for Ukraine, Keith Kellogg, said that the risk of escalation “increases significantly” after the attack, as Kyiv has hit one of the parts of Russia’s “nuclear triad.”
“When you attack a part of your opponent’s national survival system, their nuclear triad, the risk level goes up because you don’t know what the other side is going to do,”
– the official told Fox News.
Attack 4300 km deep
Ukraine has reported an attack on four Russian air bases using 117 drones launched from containers near the targets in an operation codenamed “Web.” On Wednesday, footage was released of the drones attacking Russian strategic bombers and hitting the dome antennas of two A-50 reconnaissance aircraft.
Zelenskyy said that half of the 41 attacked Russian planes had sustained damage beyond repair.
The SBU estimated the damage caused by Russia at $7 billion, saying that 34% of strategic cruise missile carriers at Russia’s main airfields were hit. Satellite imagery shows damaged Russian Tu-95 and Tu-22 bombers used by Russia to launch missile strikes against Ukraine.
The Russian Defense Ministry has acknowledged attacks on airfields in the Murmansk, Irkutsk, Ivanovo, Ryazan and Amur regions. The ministry said that the attacks were repelled in the latter three regions, and that several planes caught fire in the Murmansk and Irkutsk regions.
The attack has boosted Ukrainian morale after months of relentless Russian pressure on the frontline and Moscow’s powerful drone and missile strikes. It also demonstrated that Kyiv can hit targets deep in Russian territory, up to 4,300 kilometers from the front line.
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