Latest news with #Artem
Yahoo
16 hours ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Ukrainian girl, 7, with rare cancer who flew to Israel for a cure is killed by Iranian strike
A seven-year-old Ukrainian girl who was diagnosed with a rare cancer and moved to Israel in hope of a cure has been killed by an Iranian air strike. Nastya Buryk died alongside members with her family in Bat Yam last week when a missile fired by the Islamic regime struck their apartment block. Nastya, her mother, grandmother and two brothers, were all killed in the blast on June 13, the first night of Iran's barrage, it was reported by Israeli news outlet Ynet. Her father, Artem, who is fighting against Russian invaders in Kyiv, remains alive. She had been undergoing treatment for lymphoblastic leukaemia, a rare cancer that attacks blood and bone marrow. Nastya, from Odesa, was first diagnosed in 2022 and underwent chemotherapy in Ukraine. Her condition improved but she later relapsed. 'On August 29, 2022, we heard the terrible news: 'Your daughter has cancer,'' her mother Maria Peshkureva wrote on social media. 'Since that day, I have been living in a parallel reality, where the main thing is to save. To breathe. To not give up.' As her health worsened, her family searched for more specialist treatment and, thanks to charitable donations, they sought medical care in Israel, where Nastya had a bone marrow transplant. The procedure was unsuccessful and her leukaemia returned. Earlier this year, her family turned to a new treatment in Israel, while her grandmother, Olena, 60, and two brothers, Konstantin and Ilya, nine and 13, flew from Ukraine to be with her. Both of the boys attended a local school. Nastya's father, who joined Ukraine's 95th Airborne Assault Brigade in 2022, recorded videos from the front line to appeal for donations as the cost of his daughter's care escalated. Her family believed they would be safer in Israel than Odesa, which has suffered deadly shelling from Russian forces. Ukraine's embassy in Israel said: 'On June 14, five Ukrainian citizens, including three minors, were killed in a massive Iranian missile attack on Israel, with a missile hitting a residential building in the city of Bat Yam. 'Ukrainian diplomats and consuls are in close contact with the police and other services to identify and organise the process of returning the bodies of the dead.' The attack on Bat Yam also killed four other people and injured more than 100. Since June 13, Iran has fired missiles at Israel every day in response to Israel's 'pre-emptive strike' on the regime's nuclear facilities on June 12.
Telegraph
16 hours ago
- Health
- Telegraph
Ukrainian girl, 7, with rare cancer who flew to Israel for a cure is killed by Iranian strike
A seven-year-old Ukrainian girl who was diagnosed with a rare cancer and moved to Israel in hope of a cure has been killed by an Iranian air strike. Nastya Buryk died alongside members with her family in Bat Yam last week when a missile fired by the Islamic regime struck their apartment block. Nastya, her mother, grandmother and two brothers, were all killed in the blast on June 13, the first night of Iran's barrage, it was reported by Israeli news outlet Ynet. Her father, Artem, who is fighting against Russian invaders in Kyiv, remains alive. She had been undergoing treatment for lymphoblastic leukaemia, a rare cancer that attacks blood and bone marrow. Nastya, from Odesa, was first diagnosed in 2022 and underwent chemotherapy in Ukraine. Her condition improved but she later relapsed. 'On August 29, 2022, we heard the terrible news: 'Your daughter has cancer,'' her mother Maria Peshkureva wrote on social media. 'Since that day, I have been living in a parallel reality, where the main thing is to save. To breathe. To not give up.' As her health worsened, her family searched for more specialist treatment and, thanks to charitable donations, they sought medical care in Israel, where Nastya had a bone marrow transplant. The procedure was unsuccessful and her leukaemia returned. Earlier this year, her family turned to a new treatment in Israel, while her grandmother, Olena, 60, and two brothers, Konstantin and Ilya, nine and 13, flew from Ukraine to be with her. Both of the boys attended a local school. Nastya's father, who joined Ukraine's 95th Airborne Assault Brigade in 2022, recorded videos from the front line to appeal for donations as the cost of his daughter's care escalated. Her family believed they would be safer in Israel than Odesa, which has suffered deadly shelling from Russian forces. Ukraine's embassy in Israel said: 'On June 14, five Ukrainian citizens, including three minors, were killed in a massive Iranian missile attack on Israel, with a missile hitting a residential building in the city of Bat Yam. 'Ukrainian diplomats and consuls are in close contact with the police and other services to identify and organise the process of returning the bodies of the dead.' The attack on Bat Yam also killed four other people and injured more than 100. Since June 13, Iran has fired missiles at Israel every day in response to Israel's 'pre-emptive strike' on the regime's nuclear facilities on June 12.
Yahoo
10-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Russia hits ‘shipbuilding sites' in Kyiv
Russia hit military sites in Kyiv overnight including 'aviation, missile, armoured vehicle and ship-building facilities', its defence ministry claimed. Kremlin officials said attacks on the Ukrainian capital struck command centres, troop deployment sites, weapon and equipment storage hubs, military airfield infrastructure, ammunition warehouses and fuel depots. 'All designated targets have been hit,' the defence ministry added. Kremlin-affiliated state media reported that attacks had also struck the Artem plant in Kyiv, a missile production facility. Challenging Russia's claim, Timur Tkachenko, head of Kyiv's military administration, wrote on Telegram: 'Once again, Russian strikes are not hitting military targets, but the lives of ordinary people.' Kyiv is home to only one major shipyard, the Kuznia na Rybalskomu facility, which produces vessels for the Ukrainian navy. Ukraine has not yet confirmed if it was hit during the Russian attacks. An air alert for civilians remained active in the capital for five hours overnight as seven of the city's 10 districts fielded aggressive attacks which left residential buildings and a business centre smouldering. Ukrainian officials said that one person was killed and four more injured in Kyiv, as Volodymyr Zelensky claimed that 'concrete action' was needed to prevent future attacks. In the southern port city of Odesa, attacks on residential buildings and a maternity hospital left two people dead and nine wounded, according to Oleh Kiper, head of the regional military administration. Thanks for following our live coverage of the war in Ukraine. It has now ended for the day. Here's a reminder of what happened today: Volodymyr Zelensky called on the United States and Europe to respond to a fresh bout of Russian attacks The Telegraph's Senior Foreign Correspondent Memphis Barker described the intense sounds and smells of Russia's overnight bombardment on Kyiv Ukraine's military intelligence chief claimed that Russia has agreed to help North Korea begin production of Shahed-style 'kamikaze' drones Ukraine said it had exchanged captured soldiers with Russia, the second stage of an agreement struck at peace talks last week We will be back with more updates and analysis soon. The European Commission has proposed an 18th package of sanctions against Russia targeting its energy exports, financial institutions and military industry, with the aim of forcing Moscow to stop dragging its feet in negotiations. The measures include proposals to lower the G7 price cap on Russian oil from $60 to $45 per barrel and tighten measures against the country's 'shadow fleet.' Speaking at a joint press conference with Kaja Kallas on Tuesday, Ursula von der Leyen, the European Commission president, called the sanctions 'robust' and 'hard-biting', adding 'our message is clear: This war must end.' In May, European leaders threatened Moscow with 'massive' sanctions if it refused to agree to a ceasefire in Ukraine. The US plans to cut funding for a programme building new weapons for Ukraine, Pete Hegseth has said. Mr Hegseth, the US defence secretary, suggested the move was an attempt to achieve a 'negotiated peaceful settlement' in the war, but did not specify how far the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (Usai) would be cut. Under the programme, the Pentagon issues contracts to US defence firms to build equipment for Kyiv. 'We believe a negotiated peaceful settlement is in the best interests of both parties and our nation's interest, especially with all the competing interests around the globe,' Mr Hegseth told a congressional committee on Tuesday. 'I don't think the word victory has been well defined or the path to it. And as a result the path to peace that stops the killing and the carnage is something that president Trump is very invested in.' Ukraine said it had exchanged captured soldiers with Russia, the second stage of an agreement struck at peace talks last week for each side to free more than 1,000 prisoners. 'We continue the return of our people, as agreed in Istanbul,' Volodymyr Zelensky wrote on X, confirming the exchange without immediately disclosing the exact number of returnees. 'Today marks the first stage of the return of our injured and severely wounded warriors from Russian captivity. All of them require immediate medical attention. This is an important humanitarian act,' the Ukrainian president added. Lev Shlosberg, a senior member of the Russian opposition party Yabloko, was arrested and charged with allegedly 'discrediting' Russia's armed forces on Tuesday after he made several remarks condemning the war in Ukraine, Reuters reports. In January, Mr Shlosberg described the war as a game of 'bloody chess' and said 'we must first stop killing people.' Members of the Yabloko party said that Mr Shlosberg's arrest was linked to these remarks, and that he faces up to five years in prison if convicted. Mr Shlosberg was labelled a 'foreign agent' by Russia's Justice Ministry in 2023 and faces separate criminal charges for refusing to comply with this label. Kyiv's St. Sophia Cathedral was damaged overnight in one of the largest Russian air attacks on the capital since the full-scale war began. Officials said that a blast wave destroyed a cornice on the main apse of the cathedral, one of Kyiv's most iconic buildings which dates back to the early 11th century and is a UNESCO World Heritage site. Mykola Tochytskyi, Ukraine's Minister of Culture and Strategic Communications, wrote on Facebook: 'Last night, the enemy struck at the very heart of our identity again.' 'St. Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv, a shrine that has survived centuries and symbolises the birth of our statehood, has been damaged,' Mr Tochytskyi continued. Russia launched one of its biggest air attacks on Kyiv overnight, officials said, using more than 300 drones and seven missiles in strikes that also hit other parts of the country. One person was killed and several more injured in the five hour-long attack on the capital that hit seven of the city's 10 districts, according to Vitali Klitschko, Kyiv's mayor. A Telegraph journalist was holed up in an air raid shelter and heard the buzzing of drones, followed by gunfire and loud explosions throughout the night. In the southern port city of Odesa, a maternity hospital and residential buildings were also hit, killing two people and injuring nine, local authorities said. Condemning the attacks, Andriy Yermak, Volodymyr Zelensky's chief of staff, said: 'You can't break Ukrainians with terror.' It came a day after Moscow launched its biggest overnight drone bombardment of the three-year war, considered part of a retaliatory response to Ukraine's extraordinary June 1 drone attack on Russia's remote bomber bases. 'It is vital that the response to this and other similar Russian attacks is not silence from the world, but concrete action,' Mr Zelensky said this morning, adding that two of the missiles were North Korean-made. In the aftermath of Ukraine's audacious 'Operation Spider's Web', which claimed as many as 41 of Russia's military jets in drone attacks on four airbases across the country last Sunday, Vladimir Putin vowed revenge, writes Lisa Haseldine. Relaying his conversation with the Russian president in the attack's aftermath, Donald Trump said – without the slightest hint of alarm or condemnation – 'president Putin did say, and very strongly, that he will have to respond to the recent attack on the airfields'. Now, it appears that response has arrived. Overnight, Moscow launched its 'biggest overnight bombardment' of the war so far, according to Ukraine's air force, directing 479 drones and 20 missiles predominantly at the western and central parts of the country. The attack reached as far west as Rivne, unnerving Poland – Ukraine's neighbour – to such a degree that it felt compelled to scramble its air force to patrol for stray missiles. One woman was killed in Russia's huge combined overnight attack on the Ukrainian capital, announced Timur Tkachenko, head of Kyiv's military administration.'Once again, Russian strikes are not hitting military targets, but the lives of ordinary people. This once more shows the true essence of what we are dealing with,' Mr Tkachenko wrote on contradicts Russia's account of the attacks, which its defence ministry had claimed targeted military facilities. The Kremlin has said that it is still in talks with Kyiv over an exchange of soldiers killed in the war. Dmitry Peskov, the Kremlin spokesman, said that refrigerated trailers containing the bodies of Ukrainian soldiers had been waiting at the border for 'several days', in a statement to Russian media on Tuesday. Mr Peskov claimed that Ukraine has not yet provided bodies for the exchange. Moscow previously said that 1,000 bodies were to be handed over from its side. The exchange was agreed in Istanbul on June 2. It comes after both sides exchanged seriously wounded soldiers and those under the age of 25 on Monday. Viktor Orban, the Hungarian prime minister, said that Russia is 'too weak' to attack Nato countries, adding 'they're not even capable of defeating Ukraine.' Mr Orban, who is regarded as Vladimir Putin's closest EU ally, also told French TV channel LCI, that the leaders of the Russian Federation 'only understand the language of force, so Europe must also take steps to make itself strong.' Earlier this month, Mr Orban said he would do everything possible to prevent Ukraine from joining the European Union, claiming that Ukraine will 'drain every euro, forint, and zloty that we have invested in supporting European families, farmers, and industry.' Russian forces carried out strikes on military targets in the Ukrainian capital Kyiv with high-precision weapons and drones overnight, its defence ministry said. The air strikes on Kyiv, among the largest in over three years of war, were part of intensified bombardments that Moscow says are retaliation for attacks by Ukrainian forces on Russia. Ukraine says the hours-long strikes hit civilian targets across the capital and at least four people were treated in hospital. Russia has agreed to help North Korea begin production of Shahed-style 'kamikaze' drones, according to Ukraine's military intelligence chief. Long-range kamikaze drones manufactured in North Korea could be used to help Russia strike Ukraine and potentially be used to strike South Korean targets, said Kyrylo Budanov in an interview with The War Korea has supplied soldiers, artillery, drones and ballistic missiles to Russia since the beginning of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. I could smell burning from my room and social media footage taken from rooftops showed clouds of smoke across the city. By 4.15am local time the attacks appeared to die down, after more than two hours of fairly constant assault. Whether there was further damage will become clearer in the coming hours. But already, by 9am, the city was back into its stride: the roads busy with people heading to work. Ukrainian overnight drone strikes forced a temporary suspension of flights in all airports serving Moscow and the country's second-largest city St Petersburg. Russia destroyed a total of 102 Ukrainian drones overnight, its defence ministry - which reports only how many were downed, not the number Ukraine launched - said, reporting no damage. Russia's civil aviation authority Rosaviatsia temporarily halted flights at all four major airports serving Moscow and St. Petersburg's Pulkovo Airport, as well as at airports in nine other cities to ensure safety. Flights in Moscow and some other cities were restored by Tuesday morning, but restrictions were still in place in St. Petersburg at 5.30am BST. From my hotel room in Kyiv, you could hear the sounds of a massive drone strike for much of the night. First, the sour whine of a Shahed. Then the rattle of gunfire by Ukrainian air defences. Finally, all too often, a pounding explosion. For days the capital had braced for Putin's threatened 'revenge' for Operation Spider's Web. It appeared to arrive at around 2am, as the first of a steady flow of missiles swarmed over the city. Volodymyr Zelensky, Ukraine's president, had warned residents to take air raid warnings more seriously. There was little need to repeat the message, amid the staccato bursts of gunfire and percussive detonations. The hotel's air raid shelter filled up: those who had taken their chances the night before, when almost 500 drones were fired at Ukraine, lay on bean-bags or brought down pillows from their rooms. Even for Kyiv residents accustomed to Putin's nightly deliveries, it was a loud, sleepless night. Volodymyr Zelensky today called on the United States and Europe to respond to a fresh bout of Russian attacks of more than 300 drones and seven missiles. 'It is vital that the response to this and other similar Russian attacks is not silence from the world, but concrete action. Action from America, which has the power to force Russia into peace. Action from Europe, which has no alternative but to be strong,' the Ukrainian leader wrote in a post on social media, adding that two of the missiles were North Korean-made. We're bringing you all the latest from the war in Ukraine. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Yahoo
10-06-2025
- Yahoo
Global Times: Rail-born border city a living tapestry of China-Russia friendship with woven community life, cultural integration
BEIJING, June 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Dubbed "a train-forged city," Suifenhe, located in Northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, was originally established in the late 19th century when Russians built train maintenance workshops and other facilities there following the construction of the Chinese Eastern Railway in 1903. Today, walking through this border city shaped by railroads and thriving through trade, one encounters a vibrant tapestry of Chinese-Russian culture - storefronts adorned with bilingual signs, candy-colored Russian architecture, clusters of foreign visitors, and local vendors fluent in both Chinese and Russian. A century later, the international waiting hall of the Suifenhe railway station bustles with activity. The cheerful voices of Russian study tour groups fill the air, while volunteers in blue vests, fluent in Russian bend down to patiently explain boarding rules to Russian children. From the roar of steam locomotives to the lightning speed of high-speed trains, railways have always been the lifeline of Suifenhe. The railways have breathed new life into the city, endowed it with endless vitality, promoted cultural and people-to-people exchanges, advanced its internationalization, and allowed advanced technologies and cultures to take root here. Iron threads of history "Suifenhe exists because of these rails - they symbolize the city's openness and progress," says Russian social media influencer Artem, a frequent traveler on the Suifenhe route who knows the city's history intimately. At No.38 Zhanqian Road stands the original Suifenhe Railway Station, its cream-and-yellow facade now housing the Chinese Eastern Railway Museum. Five hundred archival photos chronicle how railways transformed Suifenhe from a backwater town into a vibrant hub. The Chinese Eastern Railway was a branch of the Trans-Siberian Railway. Starting from Manzhouli in the west and ending at Suifenhe in the east, it formed a railway network with its southern branch from Harbin to Dalian's Lvshunkou, running horizontally and vertically. At that time, it was the longest railway within China's territory. When the railway opened, international flags fluttered everywhere across the city, earning Suifenhe another moniker: The "Flag Town." Suifenhe, also known as the "Window to East Asia," pioneered modernity in China's northeast region - its first trains, automobiles, electric lights, and telephones all arrived via these tracks. In 1987, Suifenhe and Russia's Pogranichny District launched cross-border trade with a symbolic exchange: 1,000 thermoses and 100 tons of apples for 30 tons of halibut and 50 tons of pollock. In the 1990s, both countries' peoples engaged in equal transactions and bartering at designated locations. The lively scene of every household setting up "stalls" on the streets, exchanging daily necessities such as snacks and toys for Russian leather goods, has become a vivid memory for many people in Suifenhe. As one of China's first group of border cities to expand opening-up, Suifenhe boasts two national first-class ports - road and rail - serving as a vital node in the China-Mongolia-Russia Economic Corridor and a key port along the "eastern route" of the China-Europe Railway Express. The city's rail port now handles over 10 million tons of cargo annually, with nearly 900 train trips per year, according to local government. China-Europe freight trains departing here reach five European countries, while inbound trains serve 25 Chinese cities, cementing this border town's status as a genuine "international commercial hub." By the end of 2015, the railway route between Mudanjiang and Suifenhe was fully opened to traffic, ushering in Suifenhe's high-speed rail era. From steam locomotives to bullet trains, the railway has always been a driving force behind the city's vibrant development. "Trains now bring Russian tourists exploring Northeast Chinese cuisine and culture," says Artem, who promotes Suifenhe to his followers. "The new airport makes it even more accessible. The Russian-Chinese fusion here feels like home." Artem loves promoting Suifenhe's cultural and tourism highlights to Russian audiences on social media, with 220,000 followers. "Compared to my first trip here with my family 20 years ago, transportation is much more convenient now - they even opened an airport in 2024. Many Russian tourists take trains here to explore the food and culture of China's northeast region, and they always go home happy. The city's blend of Russian and Chinese charm makes everyone feel right at home." Cultural symphony of China-Russia harmony Throughout Suifenhe's urban areas and countryside stand numerous Russian-style buildings like Chinese Eastern Railway Museum. These structures preserve the architectural style of the early 20th century along the railway, serving as a "three-dimensional" testament to Suifenhe's urban development and the mutual exchange of Eastern and Western civilizations. Even more remarkably, this cultural fusion has found inheritors. Stepping into craftsman Song Lu's home in Honghualing village, Yongsheng town, Suifenhe, one is greeted by an array of Russian-style decor and ornaments - double doors in a 4:6 ratio, rustic cast-iron Russian stove doors, brightly colored kitchenware, and vividly patterned tapestries and carpets... In this brick-and-wood house, once inhabited by Chinese Eastern Railway employees, a load-bearing beam made from railway tracks spans the roof, and its clear Russian inscriptions seemingly pull history into the present. As a craftsman, Song holds a special legacy - a representative inheritor of the Heilongjiang provincial intangible cultural heritage of Russian-style carriage-making techniques. "When my grandfather went to Russia for business, he noticed that local four-wheeled carriages had large load capacities and steerable front wheels, making them much more agile than Chinese two-wheeled carriages. He learned the craft of building Russian four-wheeled carriages from a master there," Song explains while displaying a Russian-style cabinet he built."Grandfather brought the technique back to China, upgraded the Chinese two-wheeled carriage, and combined it with Chinese mortise-and-tenon joinery to make it more durable. Russian-designed wooden wheels have fewer curves, saving wood, but my grandfather used Chinese techniques to interlock the parts - no nails needed, yet still solid," Song told the Global Times. He noted that Chinese carpenters also made the carriage boards detachable, significantly increasing load capacity, stability, and ease of unloading, with replaceable accessories. The improved carriage quickly gained popularity locally. The craft was passed from grandfather to father, then to Song Lu. From childhood, he was immersed in Russian architecture and woodworking. Flipping through an old photo album of Suifenhe's history, he said fondly, "This was the street back then, and these are the Russian houses built along the railway. The wide eaves provided better wind protection and warmth, while the thick walls resisted moisture." In Song's workshop, the walls are lined with tools of all sizes, and large machines are arranged throughout - all his treasures for creation. "Preserving Suifenhe's Russian-style buildings requires original materials and techniques," he explained. As one of the few locals mastering these skills, he has participated in restoring century-old Russian landmarks and sculptures, as well as designing the local Russian cultural park. "Through the efforts, we hope to preserve more historical buildings that reflect cultural exchange and witness Suifenhe's development," he added. In Suifenhe, a century-old Russian bakery housed in a former Chinese Eastern Railway residence draws crowds even before entry with its rich wheat aroma wafting through the air. Owner Liu Lihua, a fifth-generation inheritor of this craft, recounts her family's bond with Russian breadmaking. During the railway's construction, Russian workers flooded into Suifenhe, bringing their culinary traditions. Rail authorities hired Russian chefs, spawning workshops for traditional staples like lieba (the Chinese transliteration of rye bread in Russian). Liu's great-grandfather, then a railway canteen helper, apprenticed under Russian baker Lucia - a mentorship immortalized by Lucia's portrait still displayed prominently in the shop. What began as homemade loaves for family gatherings grew into a neighborhood favorite, prompting Liu to open this bakery. Today, each golden-crusted lieba embodies Suifenhe's cultural blend - a daily delicacy for locals, and a living footnote about cross-border culinary exchange. Song of people-to-people exchanges The Suifenhe No.3 double-track railway tunnel, located 300 meters from the China-Russia railway border, was built in 1899. It is China's only "nested" double-track tunnel - one wide track for Russia and one standard track for China. For over a century, this tunnel has connected the Chinese and Russian peoples. In November 2023, Wang Xuehan, a student from Suifenhe No.1 High School, crossed this unique tunnel to stay with Lisa's family in Russia's Pogranichny. She participated in the "China-Russia student homestay exchange program" that the local government promoted annually. Lisa's family prepared fruits, seafood, and handmade gifts like bracelets and dolls, making Wang feel instantly at home. "I made Russian blini with my Russian classmates in a cooking class - we were covered in flour but laughed nonstop," she recalls to the Global Times. A simple hands-on lesson planted the seeds of friendship between the two nations. The following spring, the friendship continued in Suifenhe. Lisa and her sister Alina visited as promised, their suitcases filled with Russian specialties and heartfelt care. "They brought my favorite Russian candies and fresh shrimp," Wang recounted. Participating in school sports meets, playing traditional Chinese games, and experiencing paper-cutting... the trip left vivid memories for the sisters. Lisa wrote in Russian: "Every day in Suifenhe felt as warm as home." Today, the transnational friends still stay in touch. Since 2006, Suifenhe's homestay exchange program has seen over 400 participant exchanges. Annual events like the China-Russia international youth art festival and youth sports exchanges provide fertile ground for such friendships to grow. View original content: SOURCE Global Times Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Scottish Sun
04-06-2025
- Politics
- Scottish Sun
Full scale of Op Spiderweb devastation laid bare as satellite pix show prized Putin jets in RUINS after $7bn drone blitz
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) THE FULL extent of Ukraine's devastating drone blitz on airfields inside Russia has been laid bare by new satellite pictures. Masterful Operation Spiderweb inflicted $7billion worth of damage, and left Putin's precious fleet of bombers in tatters. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 8 Shadows of scorched earth are all that remain on Putin's bombers at this airfield Credit: @AirbusDefence 8 This bomber was smashed to smithereens by the cheap Ukrainian drones Credit: AFP 8 The Belaya airfield bares the scars of the drone blitz Credit: @Planet and @AirbusDefence 8 Stunning satellite photos show patches of scorched earth where valuable Russian jets one lay. The debris has been hastily swept away - perhaps an attempt to conceal the scale of the destruction. Elsewhere, wreckages of warplanes blown to pieces remain on the tarmac, with fragments strewn across the runway. The covert drone plot - 18 months in the planning - targeted four airfields deep inside Russia, and is reminiscent of the most daring raids of the WW2 that turned the tide against the Nazis. Volodymyr Zelensky oversaw the operation and said: "It's genuinely satisfying when something I authorized a year and six months ago comes to fruition and deprives Russians of over forty units of strategic aviation. "We will continue this work." Putin's doomsday bomber fleet was crippled with 41 - a third of the total - of his most prized aircraft lying in smouldering wrecks on tarmac. Ukraine said the sneak attack was worth $7bn (£5.2bn) in damage to Russia - caused by just 117 cheaply made drones. Following the humiliating and costly blow, Putin's stooges came out and accused a Ukrainian ex-DJ of being the mastermind. Desperate to save face, Russian war bloggers named the man they believe was pulling the leavers as Artem Timofeev. Dramatic moment Putin's 'war hero' who led slaughter of Mariupol is killed in mysterious suicide bomb attack Artem, 37, is a former Ukrainian DJ. Putin's sleuths think they have identified that he owned the lorries used to carry the containers to the strikes. Alleged drivers who transported the crates and were tracked down by the bloggers all had similar stories about taking instruction from an "Artem", the Daily Mail reports. They appeared to have thought they were transporting wooden frame houses, but instead they moved kamikaze drones into strike position. 8 Ukraine hit bombers at the Russian Belaya Air Base in Irkutsk Credit: East2West 8 Ukraine released photos of the drones in the crates taken from inside Russia Credit: Unpixs 8 A still from first-person-footage of the drone blasts Credit: Ukrainian Armed Forces The drones and the containers were smuggled into Russia and then pieced together right under Vlad's nose. Clueless lorry drivers then parked the containers next to Russian airbases - where they sat and waited in plain sight. Zelensky said the drivers were led far away from their vehicles - as Ukraine looked to hide those involved being captured and interrogated the FSB. Then, on the morning of June 1, the fleet of flying bombs rose over the far reaches of Russia - and the most daring military operation of the war began. Nondescript shipping containers parked in laybys and verges had attracted little attention - before their lids blew open and the drone swarms poured out. Russian civilians stood in awe as they saw the drones zoom out of the containers and head in the direction of the airbase. The craft buzzed as they took off into the air and only had to travel a short distance to their valuable targets. Each of the 117 drones had their own dedicated pilot and Russia had little defences to protect their bases and stop them. One hapless Russian soldier stationed at an air base recorded himself standing just meters from several burning wrecks.
