Operation Spiderweb: Security Service unveils new details of strike on Russian strategic aviation
Photo: Vasyl Malyuk, Head of the Security Service of Ukraine (ssu.gov.ua)
The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) carried out a unique operation Spiderweb, targeting Russia's strategic aviation. Special drones were used for the strike, said Vasyl Malyuk, head of the SBU, during a press briefing.
Malyuk spoke about the large-scale and extremely complex special operation Spiderweb, which became one of the key blows to Russian aviation.
"The time we spent implementing the Spiderweb is one year, six months, and nine days," he said.
The operation involved 117 unique drones equipped with the special shaped-charge warheads.
Malyuk emphasized that while the drones appear ordinary, they carry unique weaponry: inside each body are two shaped-charge high-explosive warheads with a total weight of 1.6 kg. These are capable of penetrating an aircraft’s fuselage and detonating inside, causing maximum damage.
The primary targets were fuel tanks, missile bays, and avionics, which have no analogues in the Russian army. These strikes have significantly weakened the enemy's capabilities and complicated future attacks.
Operation secrecy
A key feature of the operation was the complex logistics involved in delivering drones and specialized equipment deep into enemy territory.
To achieve this, autonomous houses powered by solar panels and equipped with charging systems were used. These houses were capable of operating even in extreme weather conditions down to -50 degrees Celsius.
Importantly, most participants in the operation were unaware of its full scale or objective: some were responsible for building the drones, others for transportation, and the operators received specific targets with minimal additional information. This helped preserve the operation's secrecy and ensured its security.
Malyuk also spoke about the need to bypass sanctions: some components and technologies were under sanctions, so complex delivery methods had to be found, including bribing Russian customs officials.
"This is just the tip of the iceberg of our unique logistical, drone, and intelligence solutions — remote operations, artificial intelligence. And in Operation Spiderweb, all of it was brought together into a single system," Malyuk emphasized.
SBU special operation
On Sunday, June 1, the SBU used drones to attack Russian airfields.
SBU chief Vasyl Maliuk revealed that the strike resulted in damage to 41 Russian aircraft, most of which were strategic bombers.
The drones hit four military bases: Belaya, Dyagilevo, Olenya, and Ivanovo.
The Security Service of Ukraine has already calculated the losses suffered by Russia in just one day of this special operation.
