Though Russia has a bigger army and more economic resources than Ukraine, a spectacular Ukrainian drone attack that Ukrainian officials said damaged or destroyed more than 40 warplanes at air bases deep inside Russia was a serious blow to the Kremlin’s strategic arsenal and its military prestige.

Kharkiv, located 30 km (18 miles) from the Russian border in northeastern Ukraine, has been a frequent target of Russian drones and missiles in the more than three-year-old war. Copyright 2025 Thomson Reuters.