Ukraine has achieved its most ambitious military action so far, with 40 Russian warplanes destroyed across four separate military bases in what officials have described as the largest long-range battle since the war started.
President Volodymyr Zelensky reported on Sunday that 117 drones were employed in the huge strike, code-named “Spider’s Web,” which hit what he referred to as “34% of Russia’s strategic cruise missile carriers.” The mission was planned and carried out over a year and a half.
How Ukraine Pulled Off the Complex Attack
The assault was not a run-of-the-mill drone strike. Ukrainian security officials spent months clandestinely smuggling equipment into Russia, piece by piece, so as not to be detected.
The operation, according to sources from Ukraine’s SBU security service, involved concealing drones in mobile wooden cabins mounted on top of trucks. These cabins contained special roofs that could be remotely opened when the time came.
“The SBU initially brought FPV drones into Russia through smuggling, and subsequently, wooden cabins installed on mobile frames,” the sources described. “At the correct time, the roofs were remotely opened, and the drones were launched to hit the Russian bombers.”
What adds to the significance is that one of the operation bases was positioned adjacent to Russia’s FSB security headquarters in one of their regions. All Ukrainian staff deployed were evacuated without harm before the attacks.
Four Russian Military Bases Targeted
The simultaneous attack struck military bases dispersed over thousands of miles:
- Belaya base in Irkutsk, Siberia
- Olenya base in Murmansk, Russia’s far northwest
- Dyagilevo airbase in the central Ryazan region
- Ivanovo airbase in the central Ivanovo region
Among the aircraft that were hit were Russia’s most valuable military aircraft, including nuclear-capable Tu-95 and Tu-22M3 bombers, along with A-50 early warning aircraft. The damage to Ukraine is estimated to be around $7 billion.
Russia Acknowledges Casualties and Fired
While Russia originally stated all attacks were “repelled,” the defense ministry later conceded that “several aircraft caught fire” at bases in Murmansk and Irkutsk after drones that were launched from areas close by.
Igor Kobzev, the governor of Russia, said that the Ukrainian drones that hit the Baleya military outpost in Siberia were launched from trucks. He confirmed Ukraine’s report of the operation that took place.
Russia Hits Back with Huge Drone Attack
In response to this, Russia carried out one of its biggest drone assaults on Ukraine overnight. They sent 472 drones and seven missiles into the airspace of Ukraine. Ukraine was able to shoot down the target in the air down to 385.
This quick rise happened when the heads of the Russian and Ukrainian negotiating teams went to Istanbul, Turkey, to talk about peace. However, expectations were still modest because the two sides are still very far apart on ending the war.
Peace Talks Go On Even When Things are Getting Worse
The fact that both sides attacked in large numbers at this time makes it clear how hard it will be to reach a peace agreement in the future. Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, it has controlled about 20% of Ukrainian territory. It looks like both countries are seeking to strengthen their positions before they talk.
The success of the Ukrainian long-range operation shows that the country can now hit targets deep within Russia, which might change the balance of power in future talks.
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