Ukraine's Security Service (SBU) conducted a major drone attack on Russian airfields deep inside Russia, destroying over 41 aircraft, including Tu-95 strategic bombers. The operation Spider's Web, personally supervised by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, involved smuggling FPV drones into Russia using trucks and launching them from mobile containers.
The attack targeted four airbases, including Belaya in Irkutsk, more than 4,000 kilometers(km) from Ukraine's border. In total, four airbases were targeted, according to Ukrainian media.
The airfields targeted included Belaya in Irkutsk, Olenya in Murmansk, and bases in Ryazan and Amur regions. These bases house strategic bombers capable of launching long-range missile strikes on Ukraine
The SBU claims the attack caused over $2 billion in damages and impacted 34% of Russia's cruise missile-capable aircraft.
Large swarms of drones attacked Olenya airbase in the Murmansk region, home to Russia’s strategic bomber fleet.
The second base under fire was the Belaya airbase in the Irkutsk Oblast in Sibera - some 4,023 km from the Ukrainian border.
The two other airbases hit were Ivanovo and Diaghilevo, with Moscow later claiming the Amur Oblast had also been attacked.
More than $202B worth of damage has been inflicted on the Russian air force, say Ukrainian sources. This included to long-range Tu-22M3 bombers - used in daily raids on Ukraine - as well as an A-50 air reconnaissance aircraft.
The A-50 is an Early Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) (AWACS), carrying a price tag of $350M.
The operation reportedly took over a year and a half to plan and execute. Drones were transported in containers on trucks and hidden under retractable roofs. At the right moment, the roofs were remotely opened, and the drones were launched to strike the Russian bombers.
The Russian Ministry of Defense acknowledged the attacks, calling them "terrorist attacks using FPV drones against airfields in the Murmansk, Irkutsk, Ivanovo, Ryazan, and Amur regions." They confirmed that several aircraft caught fire in the Murmansk and Irkutsk regions but claimed the fires were extinguished with no casualties.
Zelenskyy praised the operation on X, writing, "Head of the Security Service of Ukraine Vasyl Maliuk delivered a report regarding today’s operation. An absolutely brilliant result. 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. These are Ukrainian actions that will undoubtedly be in history books."
He also added, "Today, a brilliant operation was carried out. The preparation took over a year and a half. What’s most interesting, is that the “office” of our operation on Russian territory was located directly next to FSB headquarters in one of their regions. In total, 117 drones were used in the operation with a corresponding number of drone operators involved. 34% of the strategic cruise missile carriers stationed at air bases were hit. We will continue this work."
Ukraine did not notify the U.S. before the brazen attack, according to reports.
Russia experts described the attack as a "huge win" for Ukraine that will boost morale within the military, potentially infuriating Russian President Vladimir Putin. This operation marks one of the most ambitious and significant strikes on Russian airbases by Ukraine since the war began in 2022.
Despite the attack, Zelenskyy announced that Ukraine will send a delegation to Istanbul for a new round of direct peace talks with Russia on Monday
On the same day as the Ukraine attack, Russia also launched the largest drone assault on Ukraine since the full-scale invasion, with 472 drones and seven missiles, killing 12 Ukrainian soldiers and injuring more than 60.
