How Ukraine's SBU took out Russian bombers — Inside Operation Spiderweb
Photo: Vasyl Malyuk (facebook.com Security Service of Ukraine)
The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) conducted Operation Spiderweb, targeting four military airfields in the Russian rear simultaneously across three time zones, according to the head of the SBU, Vasyl Malyuk.
Drone strikes hit 41 Russian strategic aviation aircraft, including A-50, Tu-95, Tu-22M3, and Tu-160 models.
“The destruction of enemy bombers is a task assigned to us by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. He personally oversaw the course of the special operation, which was prepared by SBU personnel. The enemy bombed our country almost every night using these aircraft, and today they tangibly felt that retribution is inevitable. The SBU is doing and will continue to do everything possible to protect Ukraine and stop Russian attacks,” Malyuk said.
SBU chief Vasyl Malyuk led the working group that prepared the Spiderweb special operation for over a year and a half.
As a result, SBU drones struck targets at four Russian military airfields at once - Belaya, Dyagilevo, Olenya, and Ivanovo. The operation enabled the simultaneous targeting of the largest number of enemy aircraft.
“In total, 34% of strategic cruise missile carriers at Russia’s main airbases were hit. It was not just a devastating strike on enemy aviation, but a serious blow to the power and terrorist nature of the Russian Federation,” Vasyl Malyuk emphasized.
The estimated value of the destroyed enemy strategic aircraft exceeds 7 billion US dollars.
How the operation unfolded
The operation was conducted simultaneously in three time zones and was extremely complex from a logistical standpoint.
Initially, the SBU transported FPV drones into Russia, followed by mobile wooden cabins. Once on Russian territory, the drones were concealed under the roofs of the cabins mounted on trucks. At the right moment, the cabin roofs were remotely opened, and the drones flew out to strike designated targets - Russian bombers.
“Following the laws and customs of war, we targeted entirely legitimate objectives - military airfields and aircraft bombing our peaceful cities. From our side, this is a real demilitarization of the Russian Federation, as we are destroying military targets specifically. And our strikes will continue for as long as Russia terrorizes Ukrainians with missiles and Shaheds,” Malyuk stated.
He thanked all SBU personnel involved in this historic special operation, noting that all participants have long been back in Ukraine.
“The enemy thought they could bomb Ukraine and kill Ukrainians with impunity and endlessly. But it couldn't. We will respond to Russian terror and destroy the enemy everywhere — at sea, in the air, and on land. And if necessary — we’ll even get them from underground,” he stressed.
Operation Spiderweb
Operation Spiderweb became one of the most large-scale special operations by Ukrainian security forces. On June 1, SBU drones attacked several Russian airfields simultaneously.
The drones struck four military bases: Belaya, Dyagilevo, Olenya, and Ivanovo.
The SBU has already calculated how much Russia lost in a single day over the Ukrainian special operation.
Find everything currently known on the scale and execution of the unique operation in the RBC-Ukraine report.
