Russian jets hit in Ukraine’s bold nighttime operations

Ukrainian special forces on Monday, June 9, 2025, claimed responsibility for a bold nighttime operation deep inside Russian territory, reportedly damaging two fighter jets at a military airfield as Kyiv continues efforts to slow Russia’s advances on the battlefield.

The raid took place at the Savasleyka airfield in Russia’s Nizhny Novgorod region, approximately 400 miles from the Ukrainian border.

This attack comes a week after Operation Spiderweb, during which Ukrainian drones targeted Russian bombers capable of carrying nuclear weapons.

Although the Ukrainian army’s general staff announced the success of the operation, they provided few specifics about how it was carried out or the full scale of the damage.

Initial reports suggest two aircraft—likely a MiG-31 and either a Su-30 or Su-34—were hit.

The airfield in question is strategically important, as it hosts MiG-31K fighters armed with Kinzhal ballistic missiles, which have been used in multiple strikes on Ukrainian cities and military targets.

“The results of the combat operation are being clarified,” read a statement from Ukraine’s military, indicating ongoing assessments.

Despite the operation, a planned prisoner exchange was not disrupted.

This exchange, involving young and severely injured soldiers, had been under threat following a tense 48-hour standoff during which both sides accused each other of reneging on promises made during Istanbul peace negotiations.

However, Russia’s defence ministry later confirmed that the first phase had been completed, with prisoners under the age of 25 returned.

If fully executed, the deal would result in the largest prisoner exchange of the war—1,200 soldiers from each side, along with the repatriation of bodies.

Meanwhile, Ukraine released footage of another successful drone attack on a factory located in Cheboksary, around 800 miles from the border.

The targeted facility, the VNIIR-Progress plant, produces key components used in advanced Russian weaponry, including Iskander missiles, self-propelled howitzers, and Shahed and Lancet drones.

The plant, which is already under U.S. sanctions, reportedly caught fire after being struck by at least two drones.

The Ukrainian military confirmed the destruction and stated that commercial flights in the region had been suspended as a result.

While the regional governor, Oleg Nikolayev, acknowledged the damage and halted production, he said there were no casualties.

These Ukrainian operations came as Russia intensified its own aerial campaign.

Over Sunday night and into early Monday morning, Russia launched its largest drone assault of the war, deploying 479 drones, according to Ukraine’s air force.

In addition, about 20 missiles were fired, with most targeting central and western parts of Ukraine.

In response, Poland scrambled fighter jets, highlighting regional concerns over the conflict’s growing reach.

In the western Rivne region, Ukrainian officials reported the heaviest attack since the war began.

One fatality was confirmed by regional military head Oleksandr Koval.

Social media videos suggested the Dubno airbase may have been hit, a site rumored to house Ukrainian F-16 jets, although this has not been independently verified.

Explosions were also reported in Kyiv, where an office building in the Darnytsia district sustained damage, according to city military head Tymur Tkachenko.

Despite the scale of the Russian assault, Ukrainian air defences claimed to have intercepted and destroyed 277 drones and 19 missiles.

Only 10 projectiles reportedly reached their targets.

Russia has also made recent territorial gains, particularly in the northeastern Sumy region.

Its forces have advanced to within 18 miles of the regional capital, marking the closest they’ve come in three years since Ukraine’s counteroffensive pushed them back.

However, Sumy’s governor, Oleh Hryhorov, stated that there was no immediate need for evacuation and described the situation as “tense but under control.”

In eastern Ukraine, Moscow claimed its forces had broken through into the Dnipropetrovsk region from Donetsk, a significant escalation if true.

However, Ukrainian military spokesperson Maj. Andrii Kovalev refuted this, stating that combat was ongoing in Donetsk oblast and denying any Russian entry into Dnipropetrovsk.

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