KYIV/MOSCOW, June 2 – Ukraine has launched a sweeping long-range drone offensive on Russian military airbases in what it called Operation Spider’s Web, striking deep into Russian territory and reportedly damaging dozens of aircraft in one of the most audacious attacks since the war began.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Sunday hailed the operation as a “brilliant” success, claiming that 41 Russian aircraft, including strategic bombers and radar detection planes, were targeted. The strikes, which Kyiv said took more than 18 months of planning, marked Ukraine’s longest-range coordinated drone operation to date.
“In total, 117 drones were used in the operation with a corresponding number of operators involved. Thirty-four percent of Russia’s strategic cruise missile carriers were hit,” Zelenskyy said in a statement.
The Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) said drones were covertly transported into Russia and launched from areas near key airbases. Among the airfields hit were those in the Murmansk, Irkutsk, Ivanovo, Ryazan, and Amur regions, some located over 4,000 kilometres from Ukrainian-controlled territory.
The Russian defence ministry confirmed that its airbases were attacked but claimed that all “terrorist” strikes were successfully repelled. It acknowledged that several aircraft caught fire due to drones launched from nearby areas.
While independent verification of the damage is still pending, Ukraine estimates the financial impact of the strikes at around $7 billion. In a symbolic twist, Zelenskyy said the operational command center for the drone attack was based “next to FSB headquarters in one of the regions” of Russia.
The drone strikes come just ahead of a new round of peace talks scheduled to begin Monday in Istanbul. Some analysts view the operation as a strategic move by Kyiv to strengthen its bargaining position. Former Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko described the attack as “a powerful negotiating tool.”
Meanwhile, Ukraine’s Ground Forces Commander Mykhailo Drapaty resigned over an unrelated Russian strike that killed 12 Ukrainian soldiers at a training ground, citing personal responsibility for the incident.
In a post-strike address, Zelenskyy renewed calls for a full and unconditional ceasefire and urged international allies to increase sanctions on Moscow.
“Pressure through sanctions, through our forces, and through diplomacy must work together,” he said.
Russian military bloggers reacted sharply to the operation, calling it a “black day for aviation.” The pro-Kremlin Rybar channel said the attack exposed serious flaws in Russia’s air defence and intelligence operations. Despite the heightened tensions, Zelenskyy confirrmed Ukraine will continue to pursue similar long-range operations targeting Russian military assets.
