Smuggled drones, hid them in roofs: How Ukraine pulled off Operation 'Spider's Web' from 'office' next to Russian intel HQ
Ukraine's Operation "Spider's Web", one of the largest drone attacks carried out by the war-torn nation, hit 41 Russian planes stationed at military airfields on Sunday. In a bold intelligence feat, the operation was coordinated from an office located directly next to local Russian intelligence headquarters.
For the first time, Russia officially acknowledged the attack and reported that the Olenogorsk airfield in the Murmansk region and the Sredny airfield in Irkutsk, Siberia, were attacked from nearby spots using trailer trucks as launch platforms.
According to a Ukrainian official, the drones struck 41 aircraft at Russian military airfields, targeting key assets including A-50 radar planes and long-range Tu-95 and Tu-22M bombers—aircraft Moscow has previously used to launch missile attacks on Ukraine or coordinate targeting and air defense operations.
Ukraine's security service claimed the operation destroyed 34% of Russia's fleet of air-launched missile carriers, estimating the damage at $7 billion—a figure that has not been independently verified.
The planning and execution of the operation, however, was "extremely complex", AP reported citing a military source.
Ukrainian Security Service Reports Striking 4 Russian Air Bases, Damaging 40 Strategic Bombers
Here's how the operation was executed:
One and a half years of planning
Ukraine's unprecedented drone assault, codenamed was the result of over a year and a half of meticulous planning and was personally overseen by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
To be precise, Zelenskyy said that it took "one year, six months, and nine days from the start of planning to effective execution."
Planning from office 'directly next to' Russian intel headquarters
In what could be Russia's biggest intelligence failure, the Ukrainian operation's office was located "directly next to FSB headquarters in one of their regions." The FSB is the Russian intelligence and security service.
"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," Zelenskyy said.
'Drones smuggled, hidden under roofs'
The drones used were smuggled into Russia, AP reported citing military sources. It added that the drones were hidden under roofs and trucks.
'Later, drones were hidden under the roofs of these houses while already placed on trucks. At the right moment, the roofs of the houses were remotely opened, and the drones flew to hit Russian bombers,' the source said.
Russia also said that the drones were launched not from Ukrainian territory, but from locations situated very close to the targeted airbases.
Footage circulating on Russian social media appeared to show drones launching from within containers, with detached panels scattered along the roadside.
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