According to a Ukrainian intelligence official, who requested anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the information, Kyiv has successfully executed a “special operation” that reportedly destroyed 41 Russian strategic aircraft located at four different airfields. The operation, dubbed “Spiderweb,” involved the use of first person view (FPV) drones equipped with explosives, which were smuggled into Russian territory and hidden within trucks and under the roofs of houses. Once the drones were in position, they were remotely activated to fly and strike their designated targets.
The Ukrainian intelligence official revealed that this meticulous operation was in the works for over 18 months and was conducted under the direct supervision of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Video footage captured by a Ukrainian reconnaissance aircraft and disseminated by Ukraine’s Security Services appeared to depict one Russian airfield engulfed in flames, along with drones launching attacks on multiple aircraft.
However, it is important to note that The Washington Post has not been able to independently verify the authenticity of the video or the claims made by the intelligence official.
In response to the operation, Russia’s Defense Ministry labeled the drone strikes a “terrorist attack.” They confirmed in a statement released via Russian state news outlets that airfields were indeed targeted by FPV drones across several regions, including Murmansk, Irkutsk, Ivanovo, Ryazan, and Amur. The ministry reported that several suspects had been apprehended and stated that there were no casualties resulting from the attacks. “Several units of aircraft caught fire,” the statement emphasized.
The governor of the far-north Irkutsk region, Igor Ivanovich Kobzev, noted that drones launched from a truck targeted a military unit in the village of Sredny. In a post on Telegram, he mentioned that this incident marked the first attack of its kind aimed at Siberian territory. Meanwhile, in Murmansk, which shares a border with Finland, regional Governor Andrey Chibis reported that enemy drones had struck unspecified targets and urged local residents to remain calm amid the chaos.
Moreover, Telegram channels associated with Russia’s security services indicated that FPV drones had hit Russian long-range aviation bases, specifically the Olenya air base on the Kola Peninsula and the Belaya air base located in the Irkutsk region, approximately 3,400 miles (5,500 kilometers) east of Ukraine. Videos circulated on social media from local residents in Usolye-Sibirskoye portrayed drones flying overhead, massive explosions, and significant smoke plumes.
Following the attacks, Russia’s influential “Z community,” which consists of pro-war bloggers, military journalists, and propagandists, reacted strongly. Some labeled the incident as “Russia’s Pearl Harbor” and called for a robust retaliation. Military blogger Roman Alekhin expressed on his Telegram channel, which boasts 174,000 followers, that “we hope that the response will be the same as the US response to the attack on their Pearl Harbor or even harsher.” Another author on the Telegram channel “Two Majors” stated, “This is not just a pretext. This is a reason to launch nuclear strikes on Ukraine.”
The drone strikes occurred shortly after the sudden collapse of two bridges in western Russia, which resulted in a passenger train derailment and at least seven fatalities. These incidents unfolded within hours of each other in Russia’s Kursk and Bryansk regions, both of which border Ukraine. It remains unclear whether there is any connection between the bridge collapses and the drone attacks.
As the situation unfolds, the drone attacks come just a day before Ukrainian and Russian officials are set to meet in Istanbul for U.S.-backed direct peace talks. On Sunday, President Zelensky confirmed Ukraine’s participation, despite previous doubts stemming from his criticisms of Russian President Vladimir Putin for not providing a memorandum detailing Russia’s conditions for peace.
Zelensky stated that Ukraine’s delegation would once again be led by Defense Minister Rustem Umerov and reiterated that Russia had already received Ukraine’s peace proposals. “The first is a complete and unconditional ceasefire. The second is the release of prisoners. The third is the return of the stolen children. And, to establish a reliable and lasting peace, we must prepare for a high-level meeting,” he explained. He emphasized that “key issues can only be solved by leaders.”
This is a developing story that will be updated as more information becomes available.
