‘Kremlin Was Brought to Its Knees’: Russians React to Ukraine’s Devastating Strike on 41 Warplanes

On Sunday, the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) executed one of its most ambitious and coordinated attacks to date – a covert drone operation codenamed “Spiderweb,” which struck four strategic Russian airfields: Belaya, Dyagilevo, Olenya, and Ivanovo.

The results were devastating for Moscow’s air power. According to the SBU, 41 aircraft were hit, including rare and high-value assets like the Tu-95, Tu-22M3, and even the A-50 airborne early warning plane.

President Zelensky revealed that the operation was personally supervised by him and SBU head Vasyl Malyuk, and took over a year and a half to prepare. The agency claims the damage amounts to roughly $7 billion and includes the destruction or disabling of more than a third of Russia’s strategic cruise missile carriers.

But while Ukraine celebrates precision and patience paying off, the reaction across the Russian information space has been one of raw fury, humiliation, and disbelief.

Pro-Kremlin military bloggers, angry and disillusioned civilians are lashing out at their own intelligence services, demanding answers – and revenge. Calls to “eliminate the SBU,” fire senior FSB officials, and punish “Kremlin cowards” have flooded online forums, painting a picture of a shaken nation desperate to reassert control but unsure how.

Following the large-scale strike on Russian airfields, Russian social media and comment sections erupted with emotion. Among the most telling reactions were despair and confusion – not just because of the attack itself, but due to the complete lack of response from the Russian authorities. One user, Denis, summed it up this way:

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“Will our state finally protect us? They’re blowing up bridges used by civilian trains. The Kremlin was brought to its knees in front of the whole world yesterday. They took out the strategic bombers beautifully. We can’t even produce them anymore – the loss is critical. And we haven’t even issued a comment. Just silence”

In pro-Russian channels, the rhetoric shifts from despair to aggressive calls for retribution. Users not only try to downplay Ukraine’s success but also openly call for the physical elimination of Ukrainian intelligence services. One such exchange reads:

“Let the head of the SBU mentally prepare for the fact that soon the ‘Ukrops’ [derogatory term for Ukrainians] will have to hide in the subway and relieve themselves in plastic bags…”

Response: “They’ve been saying that for three years now. And yet the enemy is only getting stronger.”

“Eliminating the SBU should now be the top priority for the Russian Aerospace Forces.”

Some comments resemble a cry of helplessness – filled with profanity, insults, and desperation. The most emotional reactions come from those who grasp the scale of the losses and the strategic value of the destroyed aircraft. One user writes:

“F**k, they hit the strategic aviation of a nuclear state – and no one’s saying a word. It’s all quiet. It’s so damn frustrating it makes you want to cry. They don’t make planes like that anymore. Wake the hell up, you Kremlin bastards – your grandfathers had more balls than you do.”

Anger and frustration in the comments are often directed not only at Ukraine but also at Russia’s own security agencies. Users accuse the FSB of inaction, demand mass dismissals, and call for radical measures against the SBU.

“Where the hell is our FSB looking? How the f**k did they even manage to pull this off? Has our intelligence gone on a drinking binge, or is it just full of useless idiots now? Fire all of them and bring in new operatives – and crush the entire Ukrainian intelligence service.”

Some users didn’t hold back their sarcasm, mocking the actions – or rather inaction – of Russian security forces during the attack.

“Ordinary men were trying to stop the drones from taking off with rocks, while the cops and the FSB were busy catching drunks.”

“And what about the bridges over the Dnipro? Still standing firm – just like Bankova Street [where the Office of the President of Ukraine is located].”

“Ukraine executed everything precisely – there’s nothing to argue with. Now they’re celebrating. It’s frustrating that enemies operate from within the country and our strategic sites are poorly protected. The enemy is strong – and it’s not Ukraine.

Even among supporters of the war against Ukraine, acknowledgments of the professional superiority of Ukrainian intelligence services are becoming increasingly common. One user openly admits:

“No matter how you look at it, they [Ukraine and the SBU] outplayed our intelligence services.”

Other commenters try to explain the success of the operation by blaming foreign involvement – suggesting that Ukrainian intelligence services aren’t capable of acting this effectively without Western support. In a typical conspiratorial tone, one of them writes:

“Malyuk [the SBU chief] doesn’t have the capability or brains to plan operations like this. Ukrainian intelligence services are just dumb executors – the brains behind it all are in Britain.”

The reaction across the Russian information space to Operation Spiderweb ranges from confusion and self-criticism to open hatred and vindictive outrage. The most aggressive commenters resort to personal insults and threats directed at the leadership of Ukraine’s Security Service. One user, for example, lashed out at SBU Chief Vasyl Malyuk, writing: “Malyuk, you little c**t – you’ll soon be f**ked.”

Such vulgar outbursts reveal just how deeply the operation struck – not only hitting Russian aircraft but also shaking the Kremlin’s sense of control and impunity.