Ukraine has launched its most extensive drone strike of the war, targeting multiple Russian air bases in a coordinated operation that President Volodymyr Zelenskyy hailed as a “brilliant” and unprecedented blow to Moscow’s strategic aviation forces.

Ukraine has launched its largest drone operation to date, striking deep into Russian territory and damaging dozens of aircraft in what Kyiv describes as a major milestone in its evolving drone warfare capabilities.

The operation—codenamed Spider’s Web—was conducted by Ukraine’s domestic security agency, the SBU. According to Ukrainian officials, more than 100 drones were used to attack four separate Russian air bases, resulting in the destruction or damage of at least 40 warplanes, including strategic cruise missile carriers. The estimated cost of the damage inflicted is around $7 billion.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy hailed the attack as a "brilliant operation" during his nightly address on Sunday. “Planning, all the details were executed ideally,” Zelenskyy said. He revealed that the mission was carried out near an FSB department, and that Ukrainian operatives working on the ground in three Russian time zones were safely extracted after the mission.

Images released by the SBU show quadcopter drones hidden inside wooden sheds with retractable metal roofs, enabling remote launches close to target airfields. Ukrainian sources confirmed that these drone containers were covertly transported and activated by remote control.

Russia has confirmed drone strikes in five regions but labeled the incident a “terrorist act.” The scale of the damage, however, marks the most significant Ukrainian drone attack since the full-scale war began in 2022.

In a parallel escalation, Ukraine also reported a large-scale overnight Russian assault involving 472 drones and seven ballistic and cruise missiles across Ukrainian territory.

Copied