Latest news with #SpiderWeb
The Independent
3 hours ago
- Politics
- The Independent
Putin's desperate struggle to replace nuclear-capable bombers lost in Ukraine drone strikes
Western military aviation experts suggest it will take Russia years to replace the nuclear-capable bomber planes damaged in recent Ukrainian drone strikes. These attacks have placed additional strain on Russia's already delayed modernisation programme. Satellite imagery of airfields in Siberia and Russia's far north reveals significant damage, with several aircraft completely destroyed. While reports vary, U.S. officials estimate that up to 20 warplanes were hit, with approximately 10 destroyed. This figure is about half the number estimated by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy. The Russian government on Thursday denied that any planes were destroyed and said the damage would be repaired, but Russian military bloggers have spoken of loss or serious damage to about a dozen planes, accusing commanders of negligence. The strikes - prepared over 18 months in a Ukrainian intelligence operation dubbed "Spider's Web", and conducted by drones that were smuggled close to the bases in trucks - dealt a powerful symbolic blow to a country that, throughout the Ukraine war, has frequently reminded the world of its nuclear might. In practice, experts said, they will not seriously affect Russia's nuclear strike capability which is largely comprised of ground- and submarine-based missiles. However, the Tu-95MS Bear-H and Tu-22M3 Backfire bombers that were hit were part of a long-range aviation fleet that Russia has used throughout the war to fire conventional missiles at Ukrainian cities, defence plants, military bases, power infrastructure and other targets, said Justin Bronk, an aviation expert at the RUSI think tank in London. The same fleet had also been carrying out periodic patrol flights into the Arctic, North Atlantic and northern Pacific as a show of strength to deter Russia's Western adversaries. Bronk said that at the outset of its 2022 invasion of Ukraine, Russia was operating a fleet of 50-60 Bear-Hs and around 60 Backfires, alongside around 20 Tu-160M nuclear-capable Blackjack heavy bombers. He estimated that Russia has now lost more than 10% of the combined Bear-H and Backfire fleet, taking into account last weekend's attacks and the loss of several planes earlier in the war - one shot down and the others struck while on the ground. These losses "will put major pressure on a key Russian force that was already operating at maximum capacity," Bronk told Reuters. Russia's defence ministry did not immediately reply to a request for comment. Replacing the planes will be challenging. Both the Bear H and the Backfire are aircraft that were designed in the Soviet era and have been out of production for decades, said Douglas Barrie, aerospace expert at the International Institute for Strategic Studies in London, although existing planes have been upgraded over the years. Barrie said that building new ones like-for-like was therefore very unlikely, and it was unclear whether Russia had any useable spare airframes of either type. Western sanctions against Russia have aimed to restrict the import of components such as microprocessors that are vital to avionics systems, although Moscow has so far been comparatively successful at finding alternative sources, Barrie added. Russia has been modernising its Blackjack bomber fleet, and Putin sent a pointed signal to the West last year by taking a 30-minute flight in one such aircraft and pronouncing it ready for service. But production of new Blackjacks is slow - one Russian military blogger this week put it at four per year - and Western experts say progress in developing Russia's next-generation PAK DA bomber has also been moving at a crawl. The Federation of American Scientists (FAS) said in a report last month that Russia had signed a contract with manufacturer Tupolev in 2013 to build the PAK DA, but cited Russian media reports as saying state test flights are not scheduled until next year, with initial production to begin in 2027. While it would be logical for Russia to try to speed up its PAK DA plans, it may not have the capacity, said Hans Kristensen, director of the Nuclear Information Project at the FAS. He said in a telephone interview that Russia is facing delays with a range of other big defence projects including its new Sarmat intercontinental ballistic missile. RUSI's Bronk was also sceptical of Moscow's chances of accelerating the timeline for the next-generation bomber. "Russia will struggle to deliver the PAK DA programme at all in the coming five years, let alone accelerate it, due to budgetary shortfalls and materials and technology constraints on industry due to sanctions," he said.
Yahoo
6 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Trump's envoy Kellogg says Ukrainian strike on Russian strategic bombers could become forcing function for peace
US President Donald Trump's special envoy for Ukraine Keith Kellogg has described the special operation Spider's Web, conducted by the Security Service of Ukraine to destroy Russian strategic aircraft, as an example of effective and bold leadership. Source: Kellogg on X (Twitter); as reported by European Pravda Quote: "This event can be a forcing function for peace but both sides must remain committed to President Trump's mission - stop the killing and end the war." Details: Kellogg emphasised that "bold leadership and audacious action can change the nature of the battlefield", citing both his military background and historical examples. He stated that such leadership had been shown by the Security Service of Ukraine, Defence Intelligence of Ukraine and Defence Minister Rustem Umierov. Background: On 4 June, Trump held what he called a "good conversation" with Vladimir Putin, though "not one that would lead to immediate peace". The US president stated that Putin "did say, and very strongly, that he will have to respond to the recent attack on the airfields". US media reports indicated that Trump is said to be impressed by the Ukrainian Spider's Web operation, though concerned about Russia's potential retaliation. NATO considers the special operation – which damaged dozens of Russian aircraft – to have been highly successful. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
Yahoo
a day ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
‘Out of control' Zelensky scuppering chances of Ukraine peace, Parliament told
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is 'out of control' and has jeopardised progress towards peace with Russia, it has been claimed in Parliament. The accusation was levelled by Labour former MP Lord Campbell-Savours, who argued Mr Zelensky had been 'allowed to run amok' with his country's weekend drone attack on Russian airfields and in doing so 'scuppered' the chances of reaching a truce in the deadly conflict. However, the peer's controversial view was rejected outright by foreign minister Baroness Chapman of Darlington, who said she 'profoundly' disagreed and repeated the UK Government's staunch support for Kyiv. She pointed out it was Russia's leader Vladimir Putin who could end the war, which he had triggered by his full-scale invasion in 2022. US President Donald Trump said this week Mr Putin had told him 'very strongly' in a phone call that he would respond to Ukraine's daring drone attack on Russian air bases. Ukraine's Security Service claim the attack, dubbed operation Spider Web, destroyed or damaged 41 Russian aircraft, including strategic bombers. At the same time, Russia has continued to carry out strikes across Ukraine, including the targeting of residential areas. Mr Zelensky, who has accepted a US ceasefire proposal and offered to meet Mr Putin in an attempt to break the stalemate in negotiations, wants more international sanctions on Russia to force it to accept a settlement. But Mr Putin has shown no willingness to meet Mr Zelensky and has indicated no readiness to compromise. US-led diplomatic efforts to end the long-running war have so far failed to make any significant progress. Raising the issue in Parliament, Lord Campbell-Savours said: 'Whilst recognising the sheer bravado of those who executed operation Spider Web, we have to accept that action has undermined Trump's wider initiative, jeopardised his offer on the provision of security guarantees, and hardened Russia's attitude on conflict resolution. 'How can we ever secure a settlement and avoid substantial defence costs being imposed on European taxpayers, if Zelensky is allowed to run amok with unilateral actions, therefore scuppering any prospect of an early settlement. 'Why can't we, with our long experience in diplomacy, think out of the box and engage with Trump's people in discussions with Russia over measures to end this war. 'We can't rely on Zelensky. He's out of control.' Responding, Lady Chapman said: 'Not for the first time do I profoundly disagree with him. 'We have a long-standing commitment, which will remain as long as it takes, to stand alongside Ukraine. 'Ukraine's security is our security. We have a responsibility and a duty to the people of Ukraine. 'The events that he refers to I completely reject his analysis of this, as do my colleagues in the Ministry of Defence.' She added: 'President Trump wants to see peace. We want to see peace. President Zelensky has agreed to a ceasefire. 'The person who could achieve that ceasefire, who could bring peace to Ukraine, who could see the children return to their homes, is President Putin.' Her Tory counterpart Lord Callanan said: 'I completely agree with the minister's sentiments. 'I think Lord Campbell-Savours is absolutely wrong, and all of us who are strong supporters of Ukraine were greatly encouraged by the recent audacious attack on the Russian airfields, in which nobody was killed by the way, it was just equipment that was damaged. 'But to secure Ukrainian sovereignty in the longer term, it is vital that Ukraine possesses armed forces which have a strong strategic and tactical advantage in the region. 'So could the minister please update the House on the steps that the Government is taking to support the Ukrainian military, to ensure that it has troops which are well trained, well equipped in the longer term to our high standards to help deter further Russian aggression?' Lady Chapman pointed out the UK had committed £3 billion a year for as long as Ukraine needed it and also signed a '100-year' pact, which formalised economic and military support provided by Britain. She also highlighted UK efforts to establish a peacekeeping mission that would enforce a possible future ceasefire in Ukraine, a so-called coalition of the willing. Former defence chief Lord Stirrup, who led the Armed Forces from 2006 to 2010, said: ''Has the minister noticed any reticence or reluctance on the part of President Putin to killing Ukrainian civilians while so-called peace talks continue? 'And has she identified any actions at all on the part of the American administration to try and compel President Putin down that path of reticence?' Lady Chapman said: 'I have not noticed any reticence on behalf of the Russian leader in that regard. 'We talk frequently and in great detail about how we work together with our friends and allies, including the United States, to bring about peace.'
Time of India
a day ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Trump admired Ukraine's 'Spider Web' operation, told aides it was 'pretty strong'
Trump felt Ukraine's drone attack on Russia was 'pretty strong'. President Donald Trump admired Ukraine's surprise drone attack over the weekend on Russia and called it 'pretty strong' and 'badass', Axios reported citing the president's aides. But the president is worried as to what comes next as Russian President Vladimir Putin told him "very strongly" that there will be a counterattack. The Axios report said Trump has been surprisingly mum about Ukraine's 'ASprider Web' operation but, in private, he marveled at the strength. One confidant told Axios that Trump told him that the attack was 'pretty strong'. Another said Trump thought it was badass. "From an international perspective, you've got a chihuahua inflicting some real damage on a much bigger dog," one adviser said. The attack would upset US's mediation process, though it has not yielded anything closer to a ceasefire. "Unfortunately, Putin feels impunity. Even after all of Russia's horrific attacks, he is reportedly preparing yet more so-called 'responses.' It means that with every new strike, with every delay of diplomacy, Russia is giving the finger to the entire world — to all those who still hesitate to increase pressure on it," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky posted on X Wednesday, in a subtle jab at Trump. On June 1, more than 100 drones from Ukraine struck air bases deep inside Russia in an operation called 'Spider Web' with explosions reported across several time zones deep inside Russia. The Russian Defence Ministry confirmed the attacks had occurred in five regions of Russia - Murmansk, Irkutsk, Ivanovo, Ryazan and Amur - but stated planes had been damaged only in Murmansk and Irkutsk, while in other locations the attacks had been repelled. Zelenskyy debriefed about the operation that he directly supervised and said 117 drones were used in the attack and the operation took one year, six months and nine days to prepare. Russia has said it has detained people in connection with the attack, although Zelensky stated the people who had helped facilitate the operation "were withdrawn from Russian territory... they are now safe".
Ya Libnan
a day ago
- Politics
- Ya Libnan
How Ukraine pulled off a spectacular attack deep inside Russia
Spider Web operation Months of planning went into a covert operation that relied on cheap, short-range drones By Mike Collett-White , Prasanta Kumar Dutta and Mariano Zafra Three days after Ukraine launched its most complex attack against Russia since the full-scale war began, details of how it was carried out and the damage it caused to Russia's strategic bomber fleet are still emerging. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy described the operation, dubbed 'Spider's Web', as 'absolutely brilliant', although the extent of Russian military losses remains unclear. On Wednesday, he said that of the 41 planes damaged, half cannot be repaired. The attacks targeted at least four Russian military air bases, the furthest of which from Ukraine is the Belaya base in the Siberian region of Irkutsk, around 4,850 km (3,000 miles) from Kyiv. Olenya air base (1,982 km from Kyiv) RUSSIA Ivanovo air base (1,017 km) Moscow Dyagilevo air base (781 km) Kyiv Belaya air base (4,849 km) UKRAINE A map showing four air bases in Russia, reportedly attacked during Ukraine's drone strike operation: Olenya air base, Ivanovo air base, Dyagilevo air base, Belaya air base. Source: Institute for the Study of War and AEI Critical Threats Project. According to Ukrainian authorities, the operation involved 117 drones that were smuggled into Russia: they were concealed beneath the retractable roofs of wooden sheds, transported to locations close to military bases and piloted remotely to hit strategic, nuclear-capable bombers. In some cases, artificial intelligence was used to guide the drones to their target. Russian officials said on Wednesday that military options were 'on the table' for its response to Ukrainian attacks deep inside Russia and accused the West of being involved in them. Ukraine's main offensive threat in the war so far has been its long-range drones, which have struck targets deep inside Russia, including oil refineries, military bases and arms depots. Yet, despite some technological advances and increased production, the drones have a maximum range well short of 5,000 km and can be detected as they fly into Russian air space, meaning air defences down many of them. The June 1 operation, including the attack on the Belaya air base, relied on a different threat: relatively small 'kamikaze' drones launched from locations just a few kilometers away. The element of surprise was vital, denying Russia's military the time to move mobile air defenses into place or block the drones with electronic jamming. How the attack unfolded According to Ukraine's security service, the SBU, the drones were smuggled into Russia by its operatives and concealed within the roof space of wooden sheds. An image shared by Ukrainian authorities showed around 20 drones, each with four propellors, placed in wooden cavities below a roof. Trucks carrying FPV (First Person View) drones were quietly parked near key Russian air bases. Cafe Teremok An illustration of the position of a truck carrying drones used in Ukraine's surprise strike. The truck was parked at a roadside stop about 7km from Belaya air base. Video footage verified by Reuters shows that the roof of at least one of the sheds had been removed to release the attack drones at the designated place and time. FPV drones On the day of the strike, a hidden mechanism retracted the trucks' roofs, revealing drone launch platforms inside. Retractable roof Source: Social media, Ukrainian Presidential Press Service. The attack. Hundreds of FPV drones surged from the trucks, targeting dozens of Russian aircraft on the ground. Retractable roof First Person Viev (FPV) drone An illustration shows that the roof of at least one of the sheds remotely removed to release the attack drones at the designated place and time. Russian authorities have given few details about the attack. The Defense Ministry said Ukraine had launched drone strikes targeting military airfields in Murmansk, Irkutsk, Ivanovo, Ryazan, and Amur regions. Air defenses repelled the assaults in three regions, but not Murmansk and Irkutsk, it said, adding that in those places several aircraft caught fire. The Kremlin said on Tuesday that an official investigation into the attack was underway. The Baza news service, which has close contacts in Russian security and law enforcement, named the main suspect as a 37-year-old Ukrainian who had moved to the Russian region of Chelyabinsk in recent years. Reuters has not been able to verify independently Baza's account. According to Baza, which cited unnamed sources, the Ukrainian opened a transportation business in October last year and acquired several trucks in December. It was from these vehicles that the drones used in the attacks were launched, the news service said. Baza said the drivers of four trucks, who apparently did not know about the nature of their cargoes, were told to drive to different destinations across Russia carrying wooden sheds. When the trucks were close to their destinations, the drivers were given instructions over the phone where to stop. In one case, Baza reported, the drones began to fly out of the sheds the moment the truck was parked, and in another while the truck was still moving. Neither Ukraine nor Russia has commented on accounts in the Russian media. Based on images posted on social media, Reuters has established that the truck used in the attack on the Belaya base was parked along the P-255 highway at the time, some 7 km from the airfield. A Ukrainian source with knowledge of the matter said the drones were piloted remotely via the Russian cellular telecommunications network. The SBU said in a statement on Wednesday that during the operation, modern drone control technology was used in the operation combining autonomous artificial intelligence algorithms and manual intervention by the operator. Due to signal loss, some drones switched to performing the mission using artificial intelligence along a pre-planned route. When a drone approached and made contact with a specific target, its explosive was automatically triggered. The SBU said the operatives involved were all back in Ukraine by the time the attacks began. President Zelenskiy said the Ukrainian agents worked across multiple Russian regions in an operation that was 18 months in the planning. Damaged and destroyed Satellite imagery after the attack on the Belaya base show that several strategic bombers — experts say between six and eight — were either destroyed or badly damaged there. Belaya Air Base Tupolev Tu-22M A before and after satellite image of Belaya Air Base showing Tupolev Tu-95 and Tupolev Tu-22M3 planes parked on May 17, 2025. The after image, taken June 4, shows several of the Tu-95 planes seemingly destroyed in the same parked positions. At Olenya, footage released by the SBU and verified by Reuters showed two burning bombers which appeared to be nuclear-capable Tu-95s and a third, also a Tu-95, being hit by a large explosion. New SBU drone footage released on Wednesday showed drones landing on the dome antennae of two A-50 military spy planes, of which there are only a handful in Russia's fleet. There was no video showing the drones detonate. Reuters was able to independently verify the locations of all four air bases in the footage, including the Ivanovo airbase where the A-50s were stationed. The news agency could not independently verify what date the footage was filmed. The SBU said in a statement that the struck aircraft included the A-50, the Tu-95 strategic bomber, Tu-22 supersonic jet bomber, Tu-160 strategic bomber, as well as the An-12 and Il-78 military cargo planes. There was no immediate public response from Moscow to the SBU statement. A Ukrainian security official said strikes were conducted on Sunday on four air bases, and that 41 Russian warplanes were hit. FPV drones Tupolev TU-95 bomber Tupolev TU-22M BELAYA AIR BASE An illustration of Tupolev TU-95 and Tupolev TU-22M bomber at Balaya air base. Verified video of a Ukrainian FPV drone shown attacking a Russian bomber. Video obtained by Reuters via Ukrainian Presidential Press Service. Fabian Hinz, research fellow for defense and military analysis at the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), said the attack would prove costly to Russia, partly because the types of aircraft that were hit are mostly out of production. 'The Russians can find a billion here and there, but these aircraft are not produced anymore,' he said. 'That's actually probably much more serious than losing a billion dollars or a few billion dollars. So I think it was a very significant attack.' Estimates of the number of aircraft struck vary, but some experts said that between 10 and 13 strategic bombers – Tu-95s and Tu-22s – were destroyed and others damaged, based on imagery from two of four bases targeted – in Irkutsk and Murmansk. This is only a part of the total fleet, but it reduces the number of planes that Russia can use to carry out cruise missile attacks on Ukraine. Hinz said that Russia could take measures to protect its air bases in the future, but this kind of operation using drones launched locally could be applied to many targets. 'You suddenly have this whole new world of opportunities for sabotage within a country,' he said. 'And this is the most spectacular attack and probably the most impactful attack we've seen that has worked like that.' U.S. President Donald Trump's Ukraine envoy, Keith Kellogg, told Fox News that the damage to the bombers was less important than the psychological impact on Russia. He added that he was particularly concerned by unconfirmed reports of a Ukrainian attack on a naval base in northern Russia. Meanwhile, on the battlefields of Ukraine, Russia continues to grind out steady gains, potentially strengthening its position as the two parties embark on exploratory peace talks. Reuters
