In a significant escalation of the ongoing conflict, the Ukrainian security services released new footage on Wednesday showcasing their daring Spider Web strikes targeting the Kremlin's nuclear-capable bombers deep within Russian territory. This operation highlights the innovative use of modern technology in warfare, with the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) confirming that advanced UAV control technology was employed during the mission. This technology combines autonomous artificial intelligence algorithms with manual operator oversight, allowing for highly coordinated drone strikes.
According to the SBU, some of the drones encountered signal loss during their flights and autonomously switched to a preplanned mission path using onboard artificial intelligence. Upon reaching their designated targets, the drones activated their warheads automatically, demonstrating a new level of operational sophistication. The released video footage captures Ukrainian drones striking critical components such as engines, antennas, and wings of various Russian strategic and reconnaissance aircraft stationed at four military airfields located thousands of kilometers inside Russia.
These airfields have been instrumental for Russia in executing aerial bombardments on Ukrainian cities using ballistic and cruise missiles. The SBU reported that among the aircraft targeted were the A-50, Tu-95, Tu-22, Tu-160, as well as An-12 and Il-78. The agency claimed that this clandestine operation inflicted over $7 billion in damage to the Russian military infrastructure. Open-source intelligence experts and journalists have corroborated this claim through newly released satellite images that confirm the destruction of at least 11 strategic bombers.
The audacity of the Spider Web drone operation has drawn global attention, with some analysts praising Ukraine for redefining the principles of modern warfare. In contrast, U.S. Special Envoy on Ukraine, Keith Kellogg, expressed concerns regarding the elevated risks associated with targeting components of an adversary's nuclear triad. "When you attack an opponent's part of the national survival system... your risk level goes up because you don't know what the other is going to do,” Kellogg remarked in an interview with Fox News. This sentiment underscores the precarious nature of escalating military engagements.
The strikes have notably boosted morale within Ukraine, especially as Russian forces continue their offensive maneuvers in the eastern regions of Donetsk and Kharkiv, while also expanding operations in northeastern Sumy. In response to the attacks, the Russian Defense Ministry attempted to downplay the situation, asserting that only two of its bombers were hit in the Irkutsk and Murmansk regions. They claimed that attacks on military airfields in Ivanovo, Ryazan, and Amur were successfully repelled, with no reported injuries to military or civilian personnel. The ministry has since launched an investigation into the incident, categorizing it as an act of terrorism.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy commented on the strikes, asserting that such operations would not have occurred had Moscow accepted Ukraine's proposal for an unconditional ceasefire. "Today, I awarded our Security Service warriors for the important operation to destroy 41 Russian aircraft, half of which are beyond repair,” Zelenskyy stated during a press briefing on Wednesday. He emphasized the legitimacy of targeting military assets, noting that these operations are vital for countering Russian aggression. “Wanting a ceasefire doesn't mean we do nothing in the meantime,” he concluded, reinforcing Ukraine's commitment to its defense strategy.
