On Thursday, Russia committed to fixing the warplanes that Ukraine damaged in a large-scale drone attack earlier this week. An official emphasized that the planes were “damaged, not destroyed.” 

These remarks by Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov follow Ukraine’s announcement that its forces successfully destroyed 40 of Russia’s most advanced bomber jets and reconnaissance planes. This was achieved in “Operation Spider’s Web,” a series of coordinated drone strikes executed on Sunday, reaching far into Russian territory. 

“According to the defense ministry, the aircraft weren’t destroyed but sustained damage. They will undergo repairs,” Ryabkov was reported saying to Russia’s state-run TASS news agency. 

However, satellite images of Russian airfields show extensive damage to the planes. 

A Ukrainian drone strikes Russian planes deep in Russia’s territory. (Source in the Ukrainian Security Service via AP)

On Tuesday, the Ukrainian Security Service said Ukraine carried out a massive underwater blast targeting a bridge linking Russia to Crimea.  

The same day, Zelenskyy said Russia launched a “savage strike” on the northeastern Ukrainian city of Sumy, “directly targeting the city and its ordinary streets with rocket artillery.”

President Donald Trump also said Wednesday that he spoke over the phone with President Vladimir Putin, who said Russia would have to respond to the drone strikes. 

An explosion is seen Tuesday, June 3, along the Kerch Bridge linking Russia and Crimea. (APTN/Ukrainian Security Service)

“We discussed the attack on Russia’s docked airplanes, by Ukraine, and also various other attacks that have been taking place by both sides,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform. “It was a good conversation, but not a conversation that will lead to immediate Peace. President Putin did say, and very strongly, that he will have to respond to the recent attack on the airfields.” 

Fox News Digital’s Stephen Sorace, Jasmine Baehr, Alex Miller and Anders Hagstrom contributed to this report.