Operation Spider Web: How Ukrainian Drones Reached Deep Inside Russian Territory
Russia-Ukraine Conflict: Over three years into the war, Ukraine has unleashed one of its lethal strikes deep inside Russia. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy termed the attack named 'Spider Web' a brilliant operation. Zelenskyy said that Ukraine started preparing for the operation over a year and a half ago and 117 drones were used. He said that 34% of the strategic cruise missile carriers stationed at Russian air bases were hit.
According to the reports, Ukraine's Security Service (SBU) struck at least 41 aircraft, which it claimed were used to bomb Ukrainian cities. These included Tu-22 and Tu-95 strategic bombers and the A-50 radar detection and command aircraft. This is the first time that Ukraine has hit targets thousands of kilometres deep into Russian territory from the borders.
So, how did Ukrainian drones reach deep inside Russia? Notably, Ukraine's Security Service (SBU) had hidden the drones in wooden pallets that were housed in cargo containers. Trucks were used to smuggle the containers to the nearby areas of the Russian bases. The drivers were clueless about the presence of drones.
Since the drones have limited battery range, so flying them all the way from borders to thousands of kilometres inside Russia was not possible. Therefore, they were smuggled inside Russia using cargo containers. The wooden pallets were designed in such a way that container lids could be removed remotely, allowing the munition drones to take off and hit the targets.
BREAKING: Over 40 Russian warplanes reportedly hit in massive Ukrainian drone strike. Ukraine's Security Service has launched a major drone operation, reportedly damaging more than 40 Russian aircraft — including A-50, Tu-95, and Tu-22M3 bombers. That's over $2 billion in… pic.twitter.com/8iIdQq47yy — Iuliia Mendel (@IuliiaMendel) June 1, 2025
Ukraine claimed that it hit Russian military planes worth $7 billion in drone strikes. "$7 billion: This is the estimated cost of the enemy's strategic aviation, which was hit today as a result of the SBU's special operation," the agency announced on social media.
Russia, confirming the incident, stated that the attacks were repelled in the regions of Ivanovo, Ryazan, and Amur.
"No casualties were reported either among servicemen or civilians. Some of those involved in the terror attacks were detained," the Russian defence ministry said in a statement on Sunday.
It added that in the Murmansk and Irkutsk regions, drones launched from areas near the airfields caused several aircraft to catch fire, while there were no casualties among military personnel or civilian staff.
"Our people operated across several Russian regions -- in three different time zones. It's genuinely satisfying when something I authorised a year and six months ago comes to fruition and deprives Russians of over forty units of strategic aviation. We will continue this work," Zelenskyy added.
Russia acknowledged that several of its aircraft "caught fire" in the attacks.
"As a result of the launch of FPV drones from territories in close proximity to military airfields in the Murmansk and Irkutsk Regions, several aircraft caught fire. The fires were extinguished," the Russian defence ministry's statement read.
Meanwhile, on Monday, Russia and Ukraine are scheduled to hold the second round of direct talks in Istanbul.
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