The night of May 24-25, 2025 – a powerful combined rocket strike, for targets in Ukraine, made by Russian long-range drones, Black Sea Fleet, Far scope Aviation strategical Bombers, Tactical Aviation and rocket Forces.
From available residual data, it is possible to reconstruct the likely course of the large conflict of Ukrainian airmen and pilots with Russian means of air raiding at night on May 24-25.
In the evenings on 24 May (Saturday) the Russian side began a massive drone strike (Geranja-2, Ironia, Gerbera and others). By 9 a.m. 25 May 2025, the Ukrainian anti-aircraft defence detected 298 century-old drones, among which, in the air force communication of Ukraine, it shot down 139, and by radio electronic means eliminated 127, a full of 268.
Russian rocket troops were to launch a full of 9 ballistic missiles (Russian 9K720 Iskander-M and North Korean KN-23) throughout the night. The p-flight defence didn't shoot down any.
About 22.40 local time from Olenja Airport on Kola Peninsula launched 4 strategical bombers (carriers of maneuvering missiles) Tu-95MS from the 184th dense Bombers Regiment.
At 23.08 Ukrainian monitoring channels reported that 2 state-of-the-art Russian strategical bombers Tu-160 "White Swan" were launched from Engels-2 Air Base. The aircraft belonged to the 121 Guards dense Bombers Regiment and the praz single rocket bomber Tu-95MS.
The operation was led by General Sergei, Commander of Far scope Air Command. Kobyłasz and the officers of the staff located on circulating aircraft command and command Tu-214.
At 0.33, Russian multitasking aircraft of the 4th generation Su-57 launched Ch-69 maneuvering rockets appeared on Ukrainian radars
The Ukrainians were expected to shoot down from 4 rockets of the Ukraine Air Force.
At 0.35 p.m., based on US reconnaissance satellite data Ukrainians warned the population that Russian supersonic “White Swans” launched respective Ch-101 maneuvering rockets.
At 0.52 a.m., rocket ships and frigates were joined in the Russian attack, carrying maneuvering missiles. The Ukrainian defence noted the launch of about 20 3M54 Calibr maneuvering rockets from Black Sea Fleet ships.
From 1:30 a.m., Ukrainian anti-aircraft defence and aviation began fighting Russian maneuvering missiles. W/g of the injured man's message, out of 55 rockets, shoot down as many as 45.
Around 4 a.m. from the Shajkowa Air Base close Kaługa (52 Guards dense Bombers Regiment) arrived a strategical bomber Tu-22M3 and launched 2 Ch-22-type supersonic rockets that failed to shoot down a mark in Konotop.
Around 10 a.m. on 25 May (Sunday) the Russian attack ended.
The Russians attacked many targets throughout Ukraine, from Odessa to Tarnopol. Closer details of the effects due to war censorship and deficiency of satellite images are unknown today. After many months, the Russian side made a massive hit in this involving strategical Aviation.
This is most likely part of the retaliation that the Russian MFA announced 2 days ago, for the continuous, 5-day, strikes of Ukrainian long-range drones, whose name is to shoot down 116 tonight, which gives us over 1200 in the last 5 days.
Krzysztof Podgórski
