'Brilliant result': Zelenskyy celebrates Ukraine's attack on 40 'enemy bombers' in Russia that caused '$7bn' damage

Writing on X, the Ukrainian leader called the result "absolutely brilliant".

Zelenskyy added: "A result achieved solely by Ukraine. One year, six months, and nine days from the start of planning to effective execution. Our most long-range operation.

"Our people involved in preparing the operation were withdrawn from Russian territory in time. I thanked General Maliuk for this success of Ukraine.

"I instructed the Security Service of Ukraine to inform the public about the details and results of the operation that can be disclosed. Of course, not everything can be revealed at this moment, but these are Ukrainian actions that will undoubtedly be in history books.

"Ukraine is defending itself, and rightly so – we are doing everything to make Russia feel the need to end this war. Russia started this war, Russia must end it. Glory to Ukraine!"

The drones were smuggled inside special containers on trucks before they were flown out of them, according to a Ukrainian government source.

The attack is understood to be a major breach of Russia's natural defences.

The targeting of the bomber force will degrade the Russian military's ability to strike Ukraine with missiles.

Zelenskyy said 117 drones were used.

The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) said today's attack on Russian airfields has struck 34% of Russia's strategic bombers capable of carrying cruise missiles.

SBU said its 'Operation Spider's Web' cost Russia $7bn (£5.2bn).

In a telegram post, the SBU write: "We’re doing all we can to drive the enemy from our land! We’ll strike them at sea, in the air and on land. If necessary, we’ll get them from underground."

Videos shared by Ukraine's SBU Security Service appear to show a line of Russian strategic bombers with smoke billowing out of them.

"Enemy strategic bombers are massively burning in Russia - this is the result of a special SBU operation," a security source told Sky News.

The video shown to Reuters show attacks on airfields in Russia's Irkutsk and Murmansk regions, according to an unnamed security official.

Russia's Ministry of Defence acknowledged the strikes on airfields across five regions earlier today.

The ministry writes on Telegram that Ukraine carried out a "terrorist attack" in the regions of Murmansk, Irkutsk, Ivanovo, Ryazan and Amur.

The ministry says that all attacks were "repelled".

It says: "As a result of the launch of FPV drones from the territory located in the immediate vicinity of airfields, several pieces of aviation equipment caught fire."

It adds that the fires have now been extinguished.

The attacks come ahead of a second round of direct talks between Ukrainian and Russian officials, set to take place in Istanbul on Monday.

Earlier on social media, Ukrainian President Zelenskyy’s chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, appeared to reference the large-scale drone assault.

Mr Yermak shared a spider web emoji on both his Telegram channel and X - seemingly alluding to the operation’s reported name, 'Operation Spider’s Web'.