KYIV, Ukraine — Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has confirmed Ukraine’s role in one of the most audacious cross-border operations of the war, striking over 40 strategic Russian bombers across multiple airbases deep inside Russian territory.
Describing the operation as a landmark in Ukraine’s defensive campaign, Zelenskyy said the attack “will undoubtedly be in history books.”
In a video message released on Sunday, June 1, 2025, Zelenskyy detailed the highly coordinated assault, which he said involved 117 drones, launched simultaneously in different regions of Russia spanning three time zones.
“Our people were operating in different Russian regions – in three time zones.
And our people were withdrawn from the territory of Russia on the eve of the operation, and now they are safe – those who helped us,” the president said.
According to Ukrainian security sources, the mission—codenamed Spider’s Web—was orchestrated over the course of 18 months and involved smuggling first-person view (FPV) drones and launch infrastructure into Russia.
Operatives constructed what appeared to be ordinary flat-pack garden office units, embedded the drones inside, and mounted the structures on trucks.
At a pre-set time, hatches were remotely opened and the drones were launched toward their targets.
Security officials told Sky News that the launch sites were placed within proximity of Russian military infrastructure, including facilities near offices of the FSB, Russia’s internal security service.
The Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) stated that the operation targeted four airbases: Belaya, Diagilevo, Olenya, and Ivanovo.
The Belaya airfield—located more than 2,500 miles from the Ukrainian border—was among the furthest hit.
Videos provided by Ukrainian sources appear to show strategic bombers engulfed in smoke, purportedly filmed at the sites of impact.
The aircraft types reportedly hit include the Tu-95 and Tu-22M3 bombers, both of which are capable of launching long-range cruise missiles used in strikes against Ukrainian cities.
Ukrainian intelligence also claimed that an A-50 airborne early warning aircraft was damaged.
“We are waiting for the details. And we hope that the number of hit aircraft will increase!” one security source told journalists.
As of the latest count, 41 aircraft are believed to have been damaged or destroyed.
Ukrainian sources estimate the cost of the damage to the Russian air force exceeds $2 billion.
“This operation is Ukraine defending itself,” Zelenskyy said.
“And it will undoubtedly be in history books.”
If independently verified, the scale and reach of the strike would represent one of the most significant direct attacks on Russian territory since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022.
It also underscores the vulnerability of Russia’s air defences, particularly at strategic sites far from the front lines.
Russian state media and the Ministry of Defence have not officially commented on the reported strikes.
Ukrainian sources allege that anyone publicly detained in Russia in connection with the attack would likely be used for “show,” noting that the Ukrainian operatives involved in the mission had long since returned safely to Ukraine.
The extent of damage and loss to the Russian bomber fleet remains unconfirmed by independent sources.
However, the operation marks a dramatic escalation in Ukraine’s long-range capabilities and raises questions about Russia’s ability to secure critical military infrastructure far from the battlefield.
The reported destruction of more than a third of Russia’s strategic cruise missile carriers could severely limit its capacity to carry out large-scale aerial bombardments, at least in the short term.
Ukraine’s success in this high-risk operation also signals a new level of sophistication in its asymmetric warfare strategy, combining drone technology, covert logistics, and intelligence-led precision targeting.
As the war enters its fourth year, this latest operation highlights Ukraine’s determination to carry the fight beyond its borders, reshaping the dynamics of modern warfare and further challenging the Kremlin’s ability to project power from its own territory.
