In what may go down as one of the most audacious covert military operations, Ukraine has struck deep into the Russian heartland using a swarm of homemade drones launched from concealed mobile platforms inside Russia itself. The result, if confirmed, marks the most substantial loss to Russia’s strategic bomber fleet in a single operation since the Cold War, fundamentally altering the psychological and tactical landscape of a war now entering its fourth year.
Dubbed “Operation Spiderweb,” the mission was carried out by Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU), with coordination extending over more than 18 months. Ukrainian officials claim that the strikes hit four major Russian airbases—Belaya, Dyagilevo, Ivanovo, and Olenya—with a total of 117 first-person view (FPV) drones. Ukrainian Lt. Gen. Vasyl Malyuk, head of the SBU, said 41 Russian military aircraft were struck, including rare and strategically vital bombers such as the Tu-95, Tu-22M3, Tu-160, and even the A-50 airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft.
“This was not just a devastating blow to enemy aircraft,” Malyuk said in a statement on Monday, “but a serious slap in the face of the power and terrorist essence of the Russian Federation.”
On Sunday morning, explosions lit up the skies over multiple Russian airbases, with videos quickly surfacing on social media showing bombers ablaze and drones approaching aircraft at low altitude before exploding.
This was no ordinary cross-border assault. The SBU later revealed that the drones had been covertly assembled inside Russia and hidden within makeshift mobile structures disguised as wooden homes. These were mounted on civilian trucks and transported under the noses of Russian authorities, often with the help of unwitting Russian drivers.
According to Ukrainian intelligence and verified by multiple sources including The Kyiv Independent, each truck carried modular cabins with hidden drone bays, their roofs designed to open remotely to launch the drones at precise moments. The coordination, logistics, and deception required for this operation are staggering in complexity.
“Our operatives, likely supported by embedded agents or sympathetic locals, built FPV drones using materials sourced from within Russia,” the Kyiv Independent reported. “They constructed prefab houses with concealed launch bays and recruited drivers to move them, claiming they were delivering mobile homes.”
The drivers were directed by intermediaries who would call with final delivery instructions—locations always suspiciously close to Russian military infrastructure.
Conflicting reports continue to emerge about the extent of the destruction. Ukrainian officials claim up to 41 aircraft were hit, with satellite-based synthetic aperture radar (SAR) imagery showing signs of severe damage at Belaya and Olenya airbases. Specifically, four Tu-95s and four Tu-22M3s appear destroyed at Belaya, while another four Tu-95s and one An-12 may have been lost at Olenya. If confirmed, that would make 13 strategic aircraft destroyed.
Andriy Kovalenko, head of Ukraine’s center for counteracting disinformation, stated that at least 13 aircraft were completely destroyed, with evidence pointing to many more damaged.
“Even more were damaged… over 40 in total,” Kovalenko said on Telegram. “We are still awaiting full confirmation.”
Russian sources, unsurprisingly, are downplaying the extent of the damage. The pro-Russian Fighterbomber Telegram channel claimed only a handful of aircraft were hit, suggesting the number of actual destroyed bombers is in the single digits.
“Even one strategic bomber lost is a massive blow,” Fighterbomber wrote. “But 34%? That’s propaganda. Hit does not always mean destroyed.”
The loss of any strategic bombers—especially unique or rare types like the Tu-160 Blackjack or the AEW&C A-50—is a heavy blow to Russia. These aircraft are expensive, highly complex, and not easily replaced. Russia has limited production capacity for new strategic bombers, and sanctions have made sourcing certain aerospace components increasingly difficult.
According to Malyuk, the attack neutralized over a third of Russia’s strategic cruise missile carriers at key airfields—a figure that, if accurate, would significantly reduce Russia’s ability to project long-range air power.
“There is simply no quick way to replace what was lost,” a senior NATO intelligence official told Asia Live under condition of anonymity. “This attack has shifted the strategic balance in terms of aerial deterrence and operational reach.”
Adding to the challenge of verification is that many affected airfields were under cloud cover during the attack, limiting the utility of optical satellite imagery. SAR imagery has its limits, especially in commercial quality, and must be corroborated with other intelligence to confirm damage. But if the Ukrainian numbers are accurate, Spiderweb represents the most successful deep penetration raid since Operation Orchard or even Operation Entebbe—this time, conducted by unmanned systems.
Russia has yet to acknowledge the full extent of the damage, but the Kremlin has initiated widespread internal crackdowns in response. The Financial Times reports that the Russian Ministry of Defense has detained multiple individuals it accuses of involvement in the “terrorist attacks.”
Security checkpoints have been established across key highways, and video footage shows trucks being stopped and inspected en masse. These moves, analysts suggest, are likely part of a sweeping effort to prevent further infiltration and uncover Ukraine’s covert logistics networks within Russia.
In a surprising twist, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky claimed on Sunday that the Ukrainian command center responsible for Spiderweb was located “right next to the FSB of Russia in one of their regions.”
While the claim is difficult to verify, if true, it would be a staggering display of Ukrainian intelligence penetration deep into Russian institutions.
In the days following the attack, cross-border hostilities have escalated. Ukraine launched additional drone strikes targeting Russian industrial and military infrastructure. In Lipetsk, a drone crashed near an apartment block, damaging windows and igniting a fire. Reports suggest an attempted strike on the Novolipetsk Metallurgical Plant.
In Voronezh Oblast, drone strikes damaged infrastructure, downed high-voltage lines, and reportedly targeted the Borisoglebsk airfield—an aviation repair plant previously struck earlier in 2025.
Russia, in return, launched a massive retaliatory wave of Shahed drones and Iskander missiles across Ukraine. According to the Ukrainian Air Force, more than 80 Shahed-136 drones were deployed alongside ballistic and cruise missiles, targeting Kharkiv, Chernihiv, Donetsk, and Kherson regions.
Civilian casualties were reported in Kharkiv and Mykolaiv, where debris from intercepted drones fell on residential areas.
Despite the fierce uptick in hostilities, Ukraine and Russia met this week in Istanbul for the second round of ceasefire talks. Though the session lasted little more than an hour and produced no major breakthrough, both sides agreed to an “all-for-all” exchange of seriously wounded prisoners and remains. Some 6,000 sets of remains will be exchanged in the coming weeks.
Ukraine also presented Russia with a list of several hundred abducted children that Kyiv wants returned. These child abductions have drawn widespread international condemnation and are part of ongoing war crimes investigations against Russian President Vladimir Putin by the International Criminal Court.
Russian negotiators, led by Vladimir Medinsky, proposed a temporary ceasefire lasting “two to three days in certain areas” to allow the collection of war dead—an offer not yet accepted by Ukraine’s delegation.
“Russia is reeling from the scale and sophistication of Spiderweb,” said military analyst Natalia Zorya. “This was not a drone strike—it was a surgically precise campaign that required long-term infiltration, engineering prowess, and incredible risk-taking. It’s a turning point.”
In the broader context of warfare, Operation Spiderweb signals a radical new chapter in asymmetric warfare. While Ukraine lacks a conventional air force to challenge Russia’s bombers head-on, it has demonstrated that creativity, technical skill, and stealth can level the playing field.
More than a demonstration of strength, Spiderweb is a signal: the war has no safe zones. Not hundreds of kilometers behind the frontlines. Not at secure airbases. Not even within shouting distance of the FSB.
In war, as in nature, the spider builds its web quietly. And by the time the prey realizes it’s trapped, the strike has already landed.
The strategic implications of Spiderweb will unfold over weeks and months. Key questions remain: Can Ukraine replicate such an operation again? Will Russia tighten internal security fast enough to prevent another embarrassment? And most critically—how will the Kremlin respond?
Already, there are whispers of Russia considering escalated kinetic action, including potential retaliatory missile strikes on Ukrainian intelligence hubs and leadership nodes. But with Ukrainian operatives apparently embedded within Russia, Moscow may need to look inward before looking outward.
As the war moves into another brutal summer, one thing is clear: Ukraine has redefined the geometry of the battlefield. Not with missiles or manned bombers—but with modular houses, disguised trucks, and swarming drones operated from the shadows.
