On Monday, June 1, 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.
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In a Telegram post, President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed his gratitude to unnamed officials who have been involved in the “Spiderweb” operation, thanking them for what he called a successful and carefully planned special operation against Russian strategic aviation, awarding them with a range of state honors.
“Ukraine will always be one step ahead”, he said, “in technological sophistication, in courage, and in the ability to attract the world’s attention and enlist the support of millions of human hearts.”
“Today, I awarded the state awards of Ukraine to people without whom the “Spiderweb” would not have taken place. We have no right to name them – everything is still completely secret and will be for a long time to come. This is already a historic operation of the Security Service of Ukraine, which was carefully prepared and on this day a year ago entered its final stage, namely – the defeat of Russian military equipment. So far, the Ukrainian long-range has not yet reached. So accurately, as no one in Russia expected. And as justly, as the enemy’s strategic aviation deserves.”
ISW Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, June 29, 2026
Earlier, 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.
“We did not start the war, we did not provoke it, and the only thing we wanted for Ukraine and Ukrainians was peace. But as long as the Russians choose the opposite and as long as Russia does everything to drag out this war and expand it, Ukrainians will continue to find answers that will definitely work. Thank you to all our soldiers for your accuracy! Thank you to the SBU for your long-range leadership! Thank you to everyone who helps us! Glory to Ukraine!”
Recent strikes on critical Russian infrastructure
Ukraine’s recent strikes on critical Russian infrastructure, including those on oil refineries, are a part of a broader effort to weaken Moscow’s ability to continue the full-scale invasion on Ukraine, amid growing recent drone strikes on Ukrainian civilian infrastructure and decision-making centers.
Previously, SBU destroyed a major Russian electronic intelligence facility in Krasnodar Krai overnight May 28-29, striking deep inside Russian territory in a bid to weaken Moscow’s recent strikes against Ukrainian cities.
The overnight operation was carried out by special forces from its “Alpha” Center using long-range drone strikes against an installation belonging to Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB), which was used for signals intelligence and to support missile and drone attacks on Ukraine.
Such operations hold strategic importance, as a part of a broader plan to weaken Russia’s ability of airspace control and to slow down ongoing strikes on Ukraine.
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