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National Post

How Ukraine hid drones in mobile homes and blew up nuclear-capable aircraft in Russia

For 18 months, Ukraine's internal security service planned an audacious assault on far-flung Russian airfields – first sneaking drones into Russia, then planting them near key military runways. Article content Article content On Sunday, just ahead of a new round of peace talks, it was go-time: Near four unsuspecting Russian military bases, remotely activated roofs lifted off mobile homes and sheds parked on flatbed trucks. Armed Ukrainian drones tucked inside soared upward, then pounced on military aircraft lined up on the runways, engulfing many in flames. Article content The brazen attack – which Ukrainian officials claimed destroyed at least 13 Russian aircraft and damaged dozens of others – shocked Russia and instantly reduced its capabilities to threaten nuclear attack or launch missile strikes on Ukraine and other countries. It also served as a crucial reminder to Moscow and Ukraine's Western partners that Kyiv remains capable of exploiting Russia's weaknesses and disrupting its war plans, despite being outnumbered and outgunned. Article content Article content Article content Ukraine said the damaged or destroyed planes, some of which were nuclear capable, included A-50, Tu-95, Tu-22 M3, and Tu-160 – planes Kyiv said Russia had used nearly every night to bomb Ukraine. Article content Many details of how the attack was planned are still not public and it was not immediately clear how many of the Russian planes were operational at the time of the attack. Article content Video footage and reactions published on social media showed how in Russia, the drones strikes stirred panic, confusion and then, from pro-war commentators, rage. Governors from several regions, including as far as Siberia, reported the drone attacks. Russian onlookers filmed smoke billowing over the airfields and narrated their shock. Soon, pro-war military bloggers had dubbed the attack 'Russia's Pearl Harbor.' Article content Article content In videos that could not be independently verified by The Post, people who appear to be locals living around the air bases posted videos of drones zooming past them and plumes of billowing black smoke on the horizon. In one video, a woman watches a drone move toward a smoldering air base as her neighbors suggest it might be the 11th to fly by. In another video, a man filmed as several drones flew out of the back of a truck stationed on the side of a highway. Article content Article content A volley of gunfire can be heard in the background as security forces try to shoot the drones down. In another, a young soldier apparently stationed at another air base, posted video of several aircraft burning. Facing the camera, he uses an expletive to describe the scene. Enraged chief Russian propagandist Vladimir Solovyov later demanded that he be shot for filming the video and called him a 'scumbag.' Article content Article content Meanwhile, in Kyiv, the SBU, the Ukrainian security agency that planned the brazen strikes, publicly took credit for the plan and revealed the operation's code name as Spiderweb. President Volodymyr Zelensky quickly posted photos of himself hugging the agency head, Lt. Gen. Vasyl Maliuk, in celebration.