Russia Vows to Repair Warplanes After Ukraine's Devastating Drone Strike

Russia is standing firm, promising to repair warplanes hit hard by Ukraine in a daring drone assault dubbed "Operation Spider's Web." This massive strike, which Ukraine claims took out 40 of Russia's top bomber jets and surveillance aircraft, penetrated deep into Russian territory on Sunday, leaving a trail of fire and questions in its wake. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov, however, insists the planes are merely damaged, not destroyed, and will be back in action after repairs. Satellite imagery and Ukrainian footage tell a different story, showing parked aircraft erupting into fireballs upon impact.

While Russia downplays the devastation, U.S. officials estimate up to 20 warplanes were hit, with 10 confirmed destroyed. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who reportedly oversaw this meticulously planned 18-month operation, has kept the strike's details close to the chest—even the Trump administration was left in the dark until after the fact. Meanwhile, tensions escalate as Ukraine also targeted a key bridge linking Russia to Crimea with an underwater blast, and Russia retaliated with a brutal rocket artillery attack on the Ukrainian city of Sumy, described by Zelenskyy as a "savage strike."

Adding another layer to this high-stakes chess game, President Donald Trump revealed a recent phone call with Vladimir Putin, during which the Russian leader vowed a response to the airfield attacks. Trump noted the conversation was constructive but far from a peace deal. As both sides trade blows, the war shows no signs of cooling down, and the world watches, waiting for the next move in this deadly dance.