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Operation Spider's Web

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"Operation Spider Web" redirects here. For the military operation in the Iraq War, see List of coalition military operations of the Iraq War § 2005.

Operation Spider's Web
Part of the attacks in Russia during the Russian invasion of Ukraine
Operation Spider's Web is located in Russia
Olenya air base
Olenya air base
Ivanovo air base
Ivanovo air base
Belaya air base
Belaya air base
Dyagilevo air base
Dyagilevo air base
Ukrainka air base
Ukrainka air base
Location of the airbases targeted inside Russia
Location
Olenya, Dyagilevo, Ivanovo, Belaya, and Ukrainka airbases, Russia
TargetRussian Air Force
Date1 June 2025 (2025-06-01)
Executed bySecurity Service of Ukraine
Outcome41 Russian military aircraft destroyed (per SBU)
At least 13 Russian military aircraft hit (per OSINT)[1]

Operation Spider's Web (Ukrainian: Операція «Павутина», romanized: Operatsija "Pavutyna") was a drone attack carried out by the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) deep inside Russia on 1 June 2025, during the Russo-Ukrainian War. The coordinated strikes targeted the Russian Air Force's Long-Range Aviation assets at five air bases—Belaya, Dyagilevo, Ivanovo Severny, Olenya, and Ukrainka—using drones concealed in and launched from trucks on Russian territory.

It was the largest drone attack on Russian air bases up to that point in the war, employing 117 drones that, according to Ukrainian officials, damaged over 40 aircraft. Russia confirmed that the attack took place. The operation was notable for its unprecedented geographical reach—spanning five oblasts across five time zones[2]—particularly the strike on Belaya Air Base in Eastern Siberia, where damage was confirmed 4,300 km (2,700 mi) from Ukraine.[3] According to Open-source intelligence (OSINT) analysts, at least 13 military aircraft were hit by the attack based on satellite imagery and video in two of the bases.[1]

Preparation

SBU head Vasyl Malyuk viewing satellite images of Russian military airfields (clockwise: Olenya, Ivanovo Severny, Ukrainka, Belaya, and Dyagilevo) and photos of strategic bombers Tu-95MS (left) and Tu-22M3 (right)

Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that it took 18 months and 9 days from the start of planning to execution of the operation.[4] American and Ukrainian sources say that the United States was not informed in advance about the attacks.[5][6] According to Ukrainian sources, the plan for the "extremely complex" operation[7] was implemented by the SBU head Vasyl Malyuk and his staff, and progress was personally supervised by Zelenskyy.[8] The drones were simple quadcopters with heavy payloads.[9] They were transported to Russia, approximately 36 were transferred to each wooden launch container,[10] and then the containers were mounted on trucks. At the start of the attack, roofs of these containers were opened remotely and the drones were flown to their targets.[11][7] Zelenskyy said that each drone had its own pilot to launch and command it remotely, thought to have been via a satellite or the Internet.[9] Ukrainian sources said that the agents who prepared the operation on Russian territory were evacuated before the attacks began.[12]

Strikes

Burning Tu-95s at one of the attacked bases

As many as 117 first-person view (FPV)[13] Ukrainian drones targeted five Russian airbases: Belaya, Dyagilevo, Ivanovo Severny, Olenya,[14] and Ukrainka.[15][16] The SBU claims to have hit more than 40 Russian military aircraft, including Tu-160, Tu-95, and Tu-22M strategic bombers and an A-50 airborne early warning and control aircraft.[17] Following the attacks, Russian officials announced a state of emergency with respect to Engels and Morozovsk air bases due to a possible air threat at those bases.[18]

President Zelenskyy said that an 'office' for the operation was located near an office of the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB), and that 34% of Russia's strategic cruise missile carriers stationed at airbases had been hit.[14]

Olenya

After earlier media reports about the mass deployment of strategic aviation aircraft to the Olenya air base, south of Murmansk,[19] the airbase was attacked using FPV drones, destroying or damaging several strategic aircraft.[citation needed] Russian media reported the attack at Olenya but said that air defenses were working.[14] Residents of Olenegorsk reported explosions and fire with a video of the aftermath being later published.[20] The attack on Olenya was carried out from a truck at a gas station. There were at least 10 explosions.[21] The authorities prohibited the population from entering or leaving Olenegorsk. Nuclear-capable Tu-95 bombers were among the aircraft based at the air base.[20][22] According to the OSINT project AviVector, as of May 26, two Tu-95MSs, three Tu-160s, and two Su-34s were based at the airbase.[23]

Belaya

An attack was carried out on the Belaya air base, in Irkutsk Oblast, confirmed by local residents and governor Igor Kobzev, who said that there was a "drop on an old building" in Novomaltinsk [ru]. As at Olenya, the drones were launched from trucks. This was the first Ukrainian strike in Siberia. The 200th Guards Heavy Bomber Aviation Brest Red Banner Regiment, armed with Tu-22M3 strategic bombers, is stationed at the airbase.[22][20] The governor showed footage of a plume of smoke.[24] According to the OSINT project AviVector, the day before the attack there were 52 strategic aircraft (35 Tu-22M3 bombers, 6 Tu-95MS bombers, and 7 Tu-160 bombers), 30 MiG-31 fighters, and 8 auxiliary and transport aircraft at the airbase.[23]

On 2 June OSINT analysis of commercial satellite photos confirmed three destroyed Tu-95 bombers, one possibly damaged Tu-95, a destroyed Tu-22M3 bomber,[25] and three possibly destroyed Tu-22M3 bombers.[better source needed]

Dyagilevo

Attacks were reported on the Dyagilevo airfield near Ryazan.[22][20] The local governor confirmed the attack and stated that a fragment of a drone that had been shot down damaged the roof of a residential building, with no injuries.[20] At least seven explosions were reported.[26] Tu-95MS and Tu-22M3 bombers are based there.[20]

Ivanovo Severny

An attack was reported on the Ivanovo Severny air base near Ivanovo,[22][20] but local authorities did not report the attack.[20] The Ivanovo base was previously struck on 23 May 2025.[27] According to The Moscow Times, the A-50 was likely hit here.[20]

Ukrainka

An attack on the Ukrainka air base near Seryshevo in Amur Oblast was attempted, but failed when the truck carrying FPV drones exploded.[15][28][13]

Aftermath

Ukrainian officials said that the strikes damaged one-third of Russia's strategic cruise missile carriers, estimated to be worth US$7 billion.[29] The Institute for the Study of War noted in its initial analysis that Russia's capacity to launch long-range missiles and drones into Ukraine may have been at least temporarily constrained, and that some of the older strategic aircraft hit could not be replaced as they were no longer in production.[13] These include the Tupolev family of Cold War strategic nuclear bombers, hence severely degrading one leg of Russia's nuclear triad capability. The Wall Street Journal suggested that the failure of intelligence to forestall the attacks could increase Putin's paranoia and lead to purges in Russia's domestic intelligence services.[30] Some commentators and Russian military bloggers called the event Russia's Pearl Harbor.[31]

The Russian Ministry of Defense referred to the operation as a "terrorist attack",[32] noting attacks on air bases in five regions of Russia but claiming that the attacks had been repelled in three of the regions.[5] It confirmed damage to aircraft at the Olenya and Belaya air bases.[2]

TASS reported that a truck driver alleged to be involved in the attack was to be questioned by police.[33] The Russian defence ministry said that there were no casualties in the attacks they admitted, in the regions of Murmansk and Irkutsk, and that several "participants" had been arrested, although Zelenskyy said that all operatives had safely been withdrawn from Russia.[9][10] The BBC, citing unverified reports on Russian Telegram channel Baza, known for its links to the Russian security services, said that the drivers of the drone lorries all told similar stories of innocently delivering purported wooden cabins, receiving instructions on where to park the lorries by mobile phone. One driver interviewed by Russian state news agency Ria Novosti said he and other drivers were surprised by the emerging drones, and tried to knock them down by throwing stones.[9]

Analysis

According to the Financial Times, the damaged and destroyed aircraft made up around 20% of Russia’s operational long-range aviation fleet. Many of which, such as the Tu-95 and Tu-22M3, have not been produced since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, making them exceptionally difficult to replace. According to military expert William Alberque, replenishing these losses could take years or even decades. Alberque added that the attacks would force Russia to disperse its bomber fleet across multiple airbases, reducing its ability to carry out large-scale strikes aimed at overwhelming Ukrainian air defences.[34]

Wall Street Journal columnist Bernard-Henri Lévy compared the operation to Israel's pager attacks on Hezbollah fighters, describing it as one of the most ingenious military operations in history, that would be studied for ages. He further stated that the operation delivered one of the most significant blows to Russia during its invasion of Ukraine, alongside the sinking of the flagship Moskva, destruction of the Crimean bridge, retreat of the Russian Black Sea fleet to Novorossiysk and the 2024 Kursk offensive.[35]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Romashenko, Sergei (2 June 2025). "После атаки ВСУ подтверждено поражение 13 самолетов РФ" [After the UAF attack, 13 Russian aircraft were confirmed to have been hit]. Deutsche Welle (in Russian). Retrieved 2 June 2025.
  2. ^ a b Varenikova, Maria; Kuznietsova, Anastasia; Vasilyeva, Nataliya (1 June 2025). "Ukraine Drone Strike Targets Russian Air Bases in Large-Scale Attack". The New York Times. Retrieved 1 June 2025.
  3. ^ "Ukrainian drones target Russian airbases in unprecedented operation". Al Jazeera. 1 June 2025. Retrieved 1 June 2025.
  4. ^ Vakulina, Sasha (1 June 2025). "'Operation Spiderweb': How Ukraine destroyed over a third of Russian bombers". Euronews. Retrieved 1 June 2025.
  5. ^ a b Ravid, Barak (1 June 2025). "Ukraine launches massive drone strike on air bases deep inside Russia". Axios. Retrieved 1 June 2025.
  6. ^ Jacobs, Jennifer (1 June 2025). "Ukraine claims drone attack hit 40 Russian bombers as talks set to resume in Turkey". CBS News. Retrieved 2 June 2025.
  7. ^ a b Kapustianska, Ivanna (1 June 2025). "FPV сховали під дахи мобільних будиночків: деталі про історичну операцію СБУ 'Павутина'" [FPV hidden under the roofs of mobile homes: details about the historical SBU operation 'Spider's Web']. LB.ua (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 1 June 2025.
  8. ^ "Deadly 'Spiderweb': How Ukraine destroyed 40 Russian jets in historic behind-the-lines op". RBC-Ukraine. 1 June 2025. Retrieved 1 June 2025.
  9. ^ a b c d Gozzi, Laura (2 June 2025). "BBC Verify: How Ukraine carried out daring 'Spider Web' attack on Russian bombers". BBC News.
  10. ^ a b Mazhulin, Artem; Holmes, Oliver; Swan, Lucy; Boulinier, Laure; Hecimovic, Arnel (2 June 2025). "Operation Spiderweb: a visual guide to Ukraine's destruction of Russian aircraft". The Guardian.
  11. ^ "Спецоперацію «Павутина» готували понад півтора року - джерело" [Special Operation 'Web' was prepared for over a year and a half - source]. ukrinform.ua (in Ukrainian). 1 June 2025. Retrieved 1 June 2025.
  12. ^ "Знищення 41 літака стратегічної авіації РФ. Як готували спецоперацію 'Павутина'" [The destruction of 41 Russian strategic aircraft. How the special operation 'Web' was prepared] (in Ukrainian). Texty.org.ua. 1 June 2025. Retrieved 1 June 2025.
  13. ^ a b c Gibson, Olivia; Harvey, Anna; Novikov, Daria; Harward, Christina; Stepanenko, Kateryna (1 June 2025). "Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, June 1, 2025". Institute for the Study of War. Retrieved 2 June 2025.
  14. ^ a b c Adams, Paul; Lukiv, Jaroslav (1 June 2025). "Ukraine drones strike bombers during major attack in Russia". BBC. Retrieved 1 June 2025.
  15. ^ a b Zoria, Yuri (2 June 2025). "Trojan truck op: Kyiv destroys '34%' of Russia's strategic bomber fleet within hours with truck-launched FPV drones". Euromaidan Press. Retrieved 2 June 2025.
  16. ^ Orlova, Alisa; Zakharchenko, Kateryna (1 June 2025). "'Spiderweb' Strikes Cripple 34% of Russian Bomber Fleet in $7 Billion Blow, SBU Confirms". Kyiv Post. Retrieved 2 June 2025.
  17. ^ "Ukraine reportedly strikes down over 40 Russian strategic bombers". Euronews. 1 June 2025. Retrieved 1 June 2025.
  18. ^ Kostenko, Viktor (1 June 2025). Ще три російські військові аеродроми під дроновою атакою [Three more Russian military air fields are under drone attack]. dsnews.ua (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 1 June 2025.
  19. ^ Borisov, Maksim (31 May 2025). "Россия перебросила 40 бомбардировщиков Ту-22М3 и около 20% всех Ту-95МС на новый аэродром" [Russia has moved 40 Tu-22M3 bombers and about 20 percent of all Tu-95MSs to a new airfield]. WWW1 (in Russian). Retrieved 1 June 2025.
  20. ^ a b c d e f g h i "Украина атаковала базы стратегических бомбардировщиков в Мурманской, Иркутской и Рязанской областях привезенными на фурах дронами" [Ukraine Attacks Strategic Bomber Bases in Murmansk and Irkutsk Regions with Drones Delivered in Trucks]. Русская служба The Moscow Times (in Russian). 1 June 2025. Retrieved 1 June 2025.
  21. ^ "Беспилотники атаковали военные аэродромы с дальней авиацией в нескольких регионах России; украинские СМИ называют удар операцией СБУ" [Drones attacked military airfields with long-range aviation in several regions of Russia; Ukrainian media call the strike an SBU operation]. zona.media (in Russian). 1 June 2025. Retrieved 2 June 2025.
  22. ^ a b c d "Удар ВСУ по стратегической авиации РФ стал крупнейшим в истории — эксперты" [The Ukrainian Armed Forces' strike on Russia's strategic aviation was the largest in history — experts]. Deutsche Welle (in Russian). 1 June 2025. Retrieved 1 June 2025.
  23. ^ a b "Украина за один день уничтожила и повредила не менее 6 % российских стратегических бомбардировщиков" [Ukraine destroyed and damaged at least 6% of Russian strategic bombers in one day]. Агентство. 1 June 2025 – via agents.media.
  24. ^ Balmforth, Tom (1 June 2025). "Ukraine attacks Russian nuclear-capable bombers in Siberia". Reuters. Retrieved 1 June 2025.
  25. ^ "Ukraine targets Russian airfields in major drone attack". ABC News. Retrieved 2 June 2025.
  26. ^ "Украина провела серию атак на ядерные объекты России. Главное" [Ukraine has carried out a series of attacks on Russian nuclear facilities. Main]. istories.media. 1 June 2025. Retrieved 2 June 2025.
  27. ^ Атака дронов по России: ПВО в Москве, удары по Липецкой области и Иваново [Drone attack on Russia: air defense in Moscow, strikes on Lipetsk region and Ivanovo] (in Russian). 23 May 2025. Retrieved 2 June 2025 – via currenttime.tv.
  28. ^ "Deep web. Ukraine used drones hidden in mobile huts to strike airbases thousands of kilometres inside Russia". Mediazona. 1 June 2025. Retrieved 2 June 2025.
  29. ^ "СБУ: в ходе операции «Паутина» поражена треть российских стратегических носителей крылатых ракет общей стоимостью семь миллиардов долларов" [SBU: during Operation Spider Web one-third of Russian strategic cruise missile carriers at the cost of seven billion dollars were struck]. Meduza (in Russian). 1 June 2025. Retrieved 1 June 2025.
  30. ^ Michaels, Daniel; Lytvynenko, Jane. "Ukraine's Stunning Assault Roils Russia's Global Military Strategy". WSJ.
  31. ^ Smith, Alexander (2 June 2025). "Ukraine's massive drone attack deep inside Russia lays bare Putin's vulnerability". NBC News. Retrieved 2 June 2025.
  32. ^ "Russia confirms Ukraine carried out drone attacks on airfields". BBC. 1 June 2025. Archived from the original on 1 June 2025. Retrieved 1 June 2025.
  33. ^ "Russian authorities detain truck driver thought to be involved in attack". BBC. 1 June 2025. Archived from the original on 1 June 2025. Retrieved 1 June 2025.
  34. ^ Stognei, Anastasia; Deprez, Fabrice; Miller, Christopher (3 June 2025). "'An epic failure': Russia reels from surprise Ukrainian attack on bomber fleet". Finacial Times. Retrieved 3 June 2025.
  35. ^ Lévy, Bernard-Henri (3 June 2025). "Drone Attack Shows Why Ukraine Will Win This War". Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 3 June 2025.
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