(Kyiv) – Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) has carried out a remarkable drone operation deep inside Russia, destroying or damaging more than 40 strategic Russian military aircraft in a single night. The daring mission targeted four large Russian airbases – Belaya, Diaghilevo, Olenya, and Ivanovo – hitting key aircraft such as Tu-95 and Tu-22M3 bombers, along with a rare A-50 early warning plane.
Codenamed “Web,” the covert strike marks a significant escalation in Ukraine’s drone warfare capabilities. Ukrainian sources involved in the operation described it as a turning point in the war, declaring that the planes used by the Russian dictator to bomb Ukrainian cities are now vulnerable even in their rear bases. The SBU stressed that their drones can now reach deep into Russian territory, ending the Kremlin’s previous sense of impunity.
Footage obtained by the Kyiv Post shows multiple fires and explosions at the targeted airfields, including a clip from Belaya base where a voice, believed to be that of SBU Chief Lieutenant General Vasyl Maliuk, celebrates the success using the Ukrainian slang term “bavovna” which means explosions in occupied or enemy areas.
The operation took months of preparation and was personally overseen by Maliuk. Preliminary Ukrainian assessments estimate the damage to Russia’s strategic aviation fleet at around $2.2 billion, which is approximately £1.8 billion. The scale of destruction is expected to grow as further damage assessments are completed.
