‘Operation Spiderweb’ sees 40+ nuclear bombers destroyed in coordinated strikes thousands of miles from frontline – as Kyiv reveals astonishing 18-month plot using AI-guided drones hidden in wooden cabins
Ukraine has delivered a devastating blow to Vladimir Putin‘s nuclear strike force, destroying more than 40 strategic bombers in an audacious drone attack dubbed ‘Operation Spiderweb’ that reached thousands of miles behind enemy lines.
In what’s being hailed as one of the most sophisticated special operations of the war, Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) drones launched from trucks parked at Russian gas stations targeted four major airfields simultaneously, including bases in the Arctic and Siberia.
The meticulously planned assault, which took 18 months to prepare, saw AI-guided drones emerge from wooden cabins mounted on trucks before swarming Russia’s most prized military aircraft in perfectly coordinated strikes.
HIDDEN IN PLAIN SIGHT
In an extraordinary revelation of tradecraft, the SBU first smuggled FPV drones deep into Russian territory before shipping mobile wooden houses that concealed the deadly cargo.
The drones were hidden under the roofs of these innocent-looking structures, which were placed on ordinary cargo trucks and driven to locations near the targeted airbases.
“At the right moment, the roofs were remotely opened. The drones then flew out to target Russian bombers,” revealed Ukrainian security sources, adding that all operatives involved had long since returned safely to Ukraine.
FOUR AIRBASES ABLAZE
The strikes targeted Russia’s most critical strategic bomber bases:
- Belaya airbase in Irkutsk, Siberia – 4,300km (2,670 miles) from Ukraine
- Olenya airbase in the Arctic’s Murmansk region – 2,000km from the Ukrainian border
- Dyagilevo airbase in Ryazan region
- Ivanovo Severny airbase in Ivanovo region
Footage from the attacks shows multiple Tu-95 and Tu-22M3 bombers engulfed in flames, with thick black smoke billowing from the airfields as secondary explosions rocked the bases.
AI-GUIDED DESTRUCTION
The drones were reportedly trained by artificial intelligence to recognise Russian bombers and execute automatic dive attack algorithms, ensuring maximum accuracy even at extreme distances.
The video clearly shows the moment of the SBU drones attacking Russian aircraft,” security sources said, with footage capturing rows of heavy bombers ablaze.
One dramatic video shows the Belaya airfield burning while the voice of SBU Chief Lieutenant General Vasyl Malyuk can be heard commenting: “This is how beautiful the Belaya airbase looks now – enemy strategic aviation.”
GAS STATION LAUNCH
In the Arctic attack, local reports described how a truck stopped at a gas station near the entrance to a city before drones began flying out of the back and attacking various targets.
Russian media outlet Baza reported that the driver “may not have known” his vehicle was full of Ukrainian UAVs and has since been detained – though Ukrainian sources dismissed any arrests as likely staged for domestic propaganda.
Similar accounts emerged from Siberia, where residents near Belaya reportedly captured footage of FPV drones hitting the airfield, followed by multiple explosions.
PUTIN’S NUCLEAR FLEET DECIMATED
The destroyed aircraft reportedly include:
- Tu-95 strategic bombers (NATO designation: “Bear”)
- Tu-22M3 supersonic bombers (NATO: “Backfire”)
- Tu-160 strategic bombers (NATO: “Blackjack”)
- A-50 airborne early warning aircraft (NATO: “Mainstay”)
These aircraft form the backbone of Russia’s nuclear strike capability and are regularly used to launch cruise missiles at Ukrainian cities.
£1.6 BILLION BLOW
Ukrainian sources estimate the damage at more than $2 billion (£1.6 billion), representing one of the most costly single days for the Russian Air Force since the war began.
In terms of cost-effectiveness, Ukraine’s operation on June 1, 2025, is virtually unparalleled,” noted military analysts at Clash Report.
The losses are particularly devastating as these strategic bombers are difficult and expensive to replace, with some models no longer in production.
RUSSIAN HUMILIATION
The strikes have infuriated Russian military bloggers who ranted about the Air Force’s “incompetence” in failing to protect such critical assets.
Neither tires on the bombers’ wings, nor planes painted on the concrete, nor even anti-drone guns every hundred meters saved the planes from destruction,” complained one Russian propagandist.
Kremlin sources admitted this would be remembered as “a black day for Russian long-range aviation,” with some calling for retaliatory strikes on Ukrainian cities.
PUTIN INFORMED
Russian propagandists claimed dictator Vladimir Putin had been personally informed about the destruction of the aircraft and that the Kremlin was preparing a response.
The attack is particularly embarrassing as it occurred on June 1 – Military Transport Aviation Day in Russia – adding insult to injury for the beleaguered Russian forces.
HISTORIC FIRST
Igor Kobzev, governor of Irkutsk, confirmed it was the first such attack in Siberia, adding: “The number of drones in the attack was unclear.
The strike on Belaya airbase marked the first time Ukraine has successfully hit targets in Russia’s far eastern regions, demonstrating an unprecedented reach capability.
ZELENSKY’S MASTERSTROKE
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky earlier met with his defence and security chiefs, stating: “We are doing everything to protect our independence, our state, and our people.
The operation was reportedly personally coordinated by SBU head Vasyl Malyuk, who has overseen a series of increasingly ambitious deep-strike operations against Russian military infrastructure.
FUTURE WARFARE
Maria Avdeeva, Senior Fellow at Foreign Policy Research Institute, explained the sophistication: “Ukraine secretly delivered FPV drones and wooden mobile cabins into Russia.
The use of AI-guided drones launched from civilian trucks represents a new evolution in asymmetric warfare, demonstrating how smaller nations can strike at the heart of larger adversaries’ military power.
NO SAFE HAVEN
The message from Kyiv is clear: nowhere in Russia is safe from Ukrainian retaliation, not even bases thousands of miles from the frontline that Moscow believed were untouchable.
As one Ukrainian security source put it: “These drones are targeting planes that bomb Ukrainian cities every night. Now they know how it feels.”
