As Ukraine conducted a bold attack “spider” on Russian bombers

It was an attack of amazing ingenuity – unprecedented, wide and 18 months.

On June 1, more than 100 Ukrainian drones hit the air bases deep in Russia, focusing on the nuclear bombers.

The scale of the operation, dubbed the “spider -spider”, became clear almost as soon as the explosions registered in several temporary zones across Russia – up to the north, like Murmansk over the Arctic Circle, and, as far away, in the Amur region, more than 8,000 km from Ukraine.

The Russian Ministry of Defense confirmed that the attacks took place in the five regions of Russia – Murmansk, Irvats, Ivanov, Razan and Amur – but the stated planes were damaged only in Murmansk and Irvatsk, while the attacks were allocated in other places.

In the photos released shortly after the attack, Basil Maluk, the head of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) can be seen looking at the satellite map of the airfields in which the bases in places listed by Russia are clearly identified.

Maliuk said the drones were smuggling into Russia in wooden cabins mounted on the back of the trucks, and hidden below remotely managed rented roofs.

Then the trucks were obviously taken to a place near the air base by drivers, which seemingly unaware of their cargo; The drones were then launched and set for their goals.

Videos that circulate on the Internet show drones leaving the roof of one of the vehicles. One truck driver interviewed by the Russian state exit of Rio Novosti said that he and other drivers tried to knock down the drones who flew out of the truck with stones.

“They were in the back of the truck, and we were throwing stones so they would not fly to press them,” he said.

According to the unproven reports of the Russian telegram, Baza – which is known for its security services – the driver of the trucks, from which the drones removed all the stories about businessmen to deliver wooden cabins in different places around Russia.

Some said they then received additional instructions on the phone where the trucks park; When they did it, they were stunned when the drones flew out of them.

In the victorious message shared on social media on Sunday night, the President of Ukraine Volladimir Zelensky – who directly managed the operation – said that it took “one year, six months and nine days” in the daring attack. ”

He also said that one of the offices of the Russian FSB Security Service.

Russia has stated that it detained people in connection with the attack, although Zelensky stated that people who helped to alleviate the operation ”were removed from the Russian territory … They are now safe.”

In a remote telegram, local authorities from Ust-Kut in the Irri region, said they were looking for a 37-year-old Ukrainian Ukraine in connection with the attack of drones at the White military airfield.

Images that share SBU show dozens of small black drones, neatly hidden in wooden cabins in the warehouse that Russian military bloggers determined the place in Chelyabinsk.

Dr. Steve Wright, a British drone expert, told the BBC that drones used to strike Russian planes were simple quadrilaterals that transported relatively high useful loads.

He added that what made this attack “completely unusual” was the opportunity to transfer them to Russia, and then launch and order them remotely – which, he said, was achieved through a link transferred through a satellite or internet. Zelensky said that each of the 117 drones had his pilot.

D -Rito also suggested that the drones were likely to fly in the use of GPS, but perhaps also overcome localized Russian flexion measures, remotely sawing drones.

Kyiv has not shared details about the origin of drones, but since the beginning of the war Ukraine has become extremely effective in their manufacture – and perhaps those used in this operation were manufactured at home.

“Russia had very sensitive losses, and it is justified,” Zelensky said in his night video.

According to Ukraine, 41 strategic bombers suffered and at least 13 were destroyed. Moscow has not confirmed any plane losses except that some planes were damaged.

A video proven by the BBC shows a damaged aircraft at the Olenegorsk airbase in Murmansk and the white air base in Irk.

It is believed that strategic missile bombers aimed at attacking,-seven-Tu-95, Tu-22 and TU-160. Their repair will be difficult, and since no one is in production, their replacement is impossible.

Radar satellite shots shared by Capella Space discover at least four severely damaged or destroyed far -range bombers based on belaraya. This corresponds to the Ukrainian drone, which also shows an attack on the TU-95 bomber.

“According to the laws and customs of the war, we have developed absolutely legitimate goals – military airfields and planes that bomb our peace cities,” said the head of the SBU Vasily Maluk.

The TU-95 bombers are said to have launched a large-scale KH-101 rocket attack on Ukraine recently last week. Each bomber can carry eight ruling cruise missiles, and each rocket itself carries a battle part of 400 kg (882 pounds).

A-50 military spyware was reportedly also aimed. These are precious planes that increase Russia’s ability to intercept Ukrainian missiles and start their strikes.

It is unknown how much in Russia A -50 – but in February 2024, the chief of military intelligence, Cyril Budanov, put this amount at eight, so any loss or damage can become a serious blow to Moscow.

A social media report said the web operation cost Russia $ 7 billion (£ 5.2 billion).

The Russian state media remained quietly quiet as a result of the attacks, and on Sunday television shows of pre -time simply quoting statements by regional authorities. By morning on Monday, the story disappeared from the ballots.

On the Internet and outside the Ukrainians, one praised the operation as “Titanic”.

“Of course, at this point it is impossible to reveal everything,” Zelensky wrote on the telegram, “but these are Ukrainian actions, which will undoubtedly be in history textbooks.”

Additional Kumar Malhotra report, Tom Spencer, Richard Irvin-Brauna, Paul Brown and Benedict Harman