US officials say Ukraine hit fewer Russian planes than claimed: report

U.S. officials say that Ukraine hit fewer Russian planes than it claimed during a major weekend drone strike on airfields, according to a report.

Two U.S. officials told Reuters on the condition of anonymity the strikes on Sunday hit as many as 20 warplanes, destroying roughly 10. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told reporters on Wednesday that half of Russia's 41 aircraft were damaged beyond repair.

Reuters couldn't independently verify either Ukraine's or the U.S.'s estimated numbers.

Ukraine said it targeted four Russian air bases with 117 drones. Video footage was released on Wednesday showing the drones striking the bombers and landing on the dome antennas of two A-50 military spy planes, of which Russia only has a handful.

The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) said the operation caused $7 billion in damage for Russia, and it hit 34% of the country's strategic cruise missile carriers at its main airfields.

The drone strikes have been part of an exchange of attacks between Ukraine and Russia in recent days, while President Trump has tried to broker a ceasefire deal between the two countries. Trump said following a phone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday that Putin told him that Russia would have to respond to Ukraine's attack.

It "was a good conversation, but not a conversation that will lead to immediate peace," Trump said.

Russia urged the U.S. and the United Kingdom to restrain Ukraine following the attacks. The U.S. said Ukraine didn't give it any notice before the attacks.