Operation Spider’s Web: Ukraine Hits Deep inside Russia, Destroys 40 Bombers
Ukraine has launched a large-scale drone attack – codenamed Operation Spider’s Web – against Russian military airbases, hitting more than 40 military aircraft, including strategic bombers.
Russia confirmed the attack, which occurred on the eve of peace talks set to take place in Istanbul, launching a massive drone attack against Ukrainian territory. Both Russia and Ukraine have been ramping up their three-year war in recent weeks.
Spider’s Web
Ukraine announced it had carried out a major drone attack on Sunday, targeting four military bases inside Russia. The SBU security service launched the operation – dubbed Spider’s Web – which used 117 drones.
According to Reuters, a Ukrainian official said that the attack’s targets included nuclear-capable long-range bombers at a military base in Siberia. The attack hit 41 Russian warplanes, worth $7 billion.
The Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelensky, confirmed the attack. “Today, a brilliant operation was carried out — on enemy territory, targeting only military objectives, specifically the equipment used to strike Ukraine,” he wrote on X. He added that the preparation for the operation took more than a year and a half.
“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. Our people operated across several Russian regions — in three different time zones,” Zelensky said.
Operation Details
Operation Spider’s Web involved drones smuggled into Russia and hidden in wooden mobile cabins, SBU sources told BBC. “The SBU first smuggled FPV drones into Russia, followed later by mobile wooden cabins. Once on Russian territory, the drones were hidden under the roofs of these cabins, which had been placed on cargo vehicles,” they explained. At the right time, “the roofs were remotely opened, and the drones took off to strike the Russian bombers,” the sources added.
“What’s most interesting, and this can now be stated publicly, is that the “office” of our operation on Russian territory was located directly next to FSB headquarters in one of their regions,” Zelensky wrote on X. The Ukrainian President added that all the people who took pat in the operation were withdrawn from Russia before the attack and are now safe.
SBU sources told BBC that the operation hit four Russian airbases: Belaya in Irkutsk oblast (region), Siberia; Olenya in Murmansk oblast, Russia’s extreme north-west; Dyagilevo in central Ryazan oblast; and Ivanovo in central Ivanovo oblast.
The sources also said the hit Russian warplanes included strategic nuclear capable bombers such as Tu-95 and Tu-22M3, as well as A-50 early warning warplanes.
Russia Confirms Attacks
On its part, Russia acknowledged the drone strikes on the country’s airbases, calling them a “terrorist act.” In a post on Telegram, the Russian Defense Ministry said that Ukraine had launched drone attacks against military airbases across five regions. It said that attacks in all regions were repelled except in Murmansk and Irkutsk.
“The launch of FPV drones from an area in close proximity to airfields resulted in several aircraft catching fire,” the Ministry said. It added that all the fires had been distinguished with no casualties reported. “Some of the participants in the terrorist attacks have been detained,” the Russian Defense Ministry said.
Russian Attacks
Russia launched a wave of drone attacks on Ukraine overnight. The Ukrainian air force said that Russia targeted Ukraine with 472 drones and 7 ballistic and cruise missiles, in one of the largest single Russian drone attacks. Ukraine said it managed to neutralize 385 aerial targets.
Separately, Ukraine said that a Russian missile strike on a training center killed 12 of its military personnel and injured more than 60. Shortly after the attack, the commander of Ukraine’s land forces, Maj Gen Mykhailo Drapatyi, tendered his resignation, saying that this step was “dictated by my personal sense of responsibility for the tragedy.”
Russia-Ukraine Peace Talks
Russian and Ukrainian officials are set to meet in Istanbul on Monday for a second round of direct peace talks, according to Reuters. Zelensky said that his Defense Minister, Rustem Umerov, will lead the Ukrainian delegation at the negotiations with Russian officials.
Both sides are expected to present their respective proposals for peace terms, according to the US Envoy for Ukraine and Russia, Keith Kellogg. In the light of this, Zelensky said he had presented the Ukrainian proposal to the Russians. However, he complained that Russia has not shared its proposal yet.
Zelensky said that the Ukrainian delegation to Istanbul would focus on three key points: a full and unconditional ceasefire, the release of prisoners, and the return of abducted children.
The first round of direct talks between Russia and Ukraine took place in Istanbul two weeks ago. The talks resulted in an agreement on the exchange of 1,000 prisoners of war each, but yielded no breakthrough over ending the war.
