Ukrainian intelligence officials released new footage on Tuesday showing a dramatic series of drone strikes on Russian airfields, targeting some of Moscow’s most strategic, nuclear-capable aircraft.
The video, set to dramatic music, depicts more than 35 first-person view (FPV) drones slamming into Russian military aircraft thousands of miles from the front lines. Among the primary targets were Russia’s TU-95 and TU-22 bombers, which have been used to launch cruise missiles at Ukrainian cities.
Even more damaging, officials said, were strikes on two A-50 airborne radar planes — a critical surveillance asset often referred to as the “eyes and ears” of the Russian air force.
The footage also revealed trucks transporting what appeared to be prefabricated structures. Inside, drones were hidden and positioned near Russian air bases. In one clip, a rooftop slides open and drones are launched into the sky.
Ukrainian officials said the drones employed artificial intelligence. When communication links were severed, the drones automatically switched to autonomous mode, followed pre-programmed routes and used machine vision to identify and strike explosive targets.
A high-level Ukrainian delegation is currently in Washington, D.C., and is expected to show more of the footage to members of Congress as part of an effort to secure additional U.S. weapons sales.