On June 1, Ukraine launched a massive and unprecedented drone attack deep into Russian territory, executing an operation called “Spider Web”, planned over the course of 18 months, Rks News reports.
The assault involved over 100 drones targeting five Russian regions, including Murmansk and Irkutsk, with a focus on nuclear-capable strategic bombers.
The drones were smuggled into Russia hidden in wooden-cabin trucks and remotely piloted. They successfully hit aircraft such as the Tu-95, Tu-22, and Tu-160, causing significant damage. Ukraine claims to have destroyed at least 13 bombers, while Moscow only acknowledged damage to “several aircraft.”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who reportedly oversaw the operation, hailed it as a major blow to Russia’s military capabilities and said it was the result of over a year and a half of intensive planning.
The scale and sophistication of the attack, including the drones’ stealth infiltration and precise targeting, demonstrate Ukraine’s advanced military tactics. According to Ukrainian sources, the raid inflicted approximately $7 billion in damages to Russian assets.
This marks one of the largest drone-based operations in the Russia-Ukraine conflict to date and signals a strategic evolution in Ukraine’s approach to modern warfare.
