(Irkutsk) – New satellite images have revealed the scale of destruction at the Russian Belaya airbase in the Irkutsk region following a successful Ukrainian drone attack on June 1. The high-resolution images, published by open-source intelligence analyst Chris Biggers on social media platform X, show clear damage to at least four Russian military aircraft.
The airstrike formed part of a meticulously planned operation dubbed “Cobweb”, carried out by Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU). The special mission, which took over one and a half years to prepare, targeted Russia’s strategic air fleet and successfully disabled or destroyed 41 aircraft. Among those hit were the A-50 airborne early warning aircraft, Tu-95 bombers, and Tu-22 M3 long-range bombers.
The operation involved the covert delivery of FPV drones and mobile wooden sheds into Russian territory. These disguised launch platforms were installed on trucks near military bases. At the right moment, the roofs of the sheds were remotely opened, releasing 117 strike drones that swarmed and struck Russian bombers with pinpoint precision.
President Volodymyr Zelensky, in his role as Commander-in-Chief, oversaw the mission’s progress. Vasyl Maliuk and the SBU team executed the plan with high-level coordination, according to security sources. Images show drone storage and preparation in Russia before the strike, indicating extensive on-ground infiltration and logistics planning.
Sources within the SBU confirmed that the operatives involved in the drone strike have already returned safely to Ukraine. If the Russian dictator stages arrests or confessions, Ukrainian intelligence warns it would likely be for propaganda purposes aimed at his domestic audience.
