Sun Jun 01 19:50:00 UTC 2025: **Ukraine Claims Massive Drone Strike Deep Inside Russia, Targeting Dozens of Warplanes**
**KYIV/MOSCOW -** Ukraine’s secret services claim to have executed a daring and complex drone operation, reportedly damaging 41 Russian warplanes at multiple airbases deep within Russian territory on Sunday. According to a Ukrainian security official speaking to Reuters, the operation, codenamed ‘Spider’s Web’, targeted four Russian airbases in the deepest drone assault launched by Ukraine since the war began.
The source detailed an inventive method used to overcome distance limitations: explosive-laden drones concealed inside the roofs of wooden sheds were transported by truck to the perimeters of the targeted airfields. These “shed roofs” were then remotely activated, releasing swarms of quadrocopter drones for coordinated attacks on strategic bombers stationed at the sites.
The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, stated that the mission was personally overseen by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Vasyl Maliuk, head of Ukraine’s domestic intelligence agency SBU. While the exact number of damaged aircraft remains unverified, Ukrainian officials claim the strike represents the most devastating drone operation by Ukraine to date.
Reuters obtained photographs and footage allegedly depicting the elaborate setup, including dozens of short-range drones stockpiled in an industrial warehouse and sheds with drones nestled between roof beams. Unverified videos circulating on Russian social media appear to corroborate the use of wooden structures loaded on trucks.
The Belaya air base in Russia’s Irkutsk region, over 4,300 km from the front lines, was a key target due to its housing of Tu-22M supersonic bombers frequently used in missile strikes against Ukrainian infrastructure. Visuals shared by Ukrainian sources suggest strategic bombers, potentially including Tu-95 aircraft, were ablaze on the tarmac.
Russia has acknowledged the drone attacks, with the Defence Ministry confirming strikes against military airfields across five regions: Murmansk, Irkutsk, Ivanovo, Ryazan, and Amur. The ministry claimed that air defenses successfully repelled the drones in all regions except Murmansk and Irkutsk, where FPV drones launched from nearby locations caused several aircraft to catch fire. Russian authorities assert that the resulting fires were extinguished, and no casualties were reported.
Tass, a Russian state-operated media outlet, reported that police will question the driver of a truck believed to have been involved in the drone attack.
The Ukrainian strike occurred just a week after Russia launched its largest aerial bombardment of the war, firing 367 missiles and drones at Ukrainian cities. That attack resulted in the deaths of at least 13 civilians, including three children, and widespread destruction, despite Ukrainian air defenses intercepting the majority of projectiles. The reported success of “Spider’s Web” marks a significant escalation in Ukraine’s drone warfare capabilities and its willingness to strike deep inside Russian territory.
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