The objective was a Russian fighter jet. This includes strategic bombers valued at hundreds of millions of dollars. The attack utilized a Ukrainian drone, each costing less than $1,000, launched from a wooden container on a truck.
“Operation Spider Web” Ukraine asserted that claiming responsibility for the destruction or damage to 40 aircraft parked near a Russian airbase on Sunday was more than just a setback for the Kremlin; it serves as a wake-up call for Western nations to enhance their air defense systems against such hybrid tactics, according to military experts.
Ukraine has harnessed affordable drone technology, which has rapidly evolved over the past decade, fusing it with innovative strategies to achieve morale-boosting victories in the three-year war that recently began to tilt in Moscow’s favor.
It remains unclear how significantly the attack will impact Russian military operations. Kyiv officials estimated damage at $7 billion, a claim disputed by the Russian Foreign Ministry without independent verification. Moscow still possesses numerous aircraft capable of launching bombs and cruise missiles against Ukraine.
Nonetheless, the operation illustrated “what modern warfare looks like and underscores the importance of staying ahead in technological advancements.”
In this photo provided by Ukraine’s No. 93 Leopard Horodniard separate Mechanized Brigade Press Services, soldiers operate drones directed at Russian positions from cover in Kostiantinibka, Donetsk region of Ukraine on May 23, 2025 (Iryna Rybakova/Ukraine’s 93rd Mechanized Brigade)
If the West is Vulnerable
Douglas Barry, a senior fellow in military aerospace at the London Institute for International Strategy, stated:
Over the past decade, European nations have accused Russia of conducting a disruption campaign aimed at Western defense executives and logistics companies associated with Ukraine. Over the past year, there have been reports of unnamed drones flying near military bases in the US, UK, and Germany, including a Norwegian weapons factory.
“It’s critical to assess the risks of drone warfare,” remarked Caitlyn Lee, a defense analyst in Washington.
She emphasized that now is the time to invest in preventative defenses.
Low-cost alternatives for safeguarding aircraft include utilizing hardened shelters, spreading targets across various bases, and employing camouflage techniques.
Last month, US President Donald Trump announced a $175 billion “Golden Dome” program to shield the nation from long-range missile threats with space-based defenses.
However, he did not mention that defending against drones can be particularly challenging as they fly low and slowly, often appearing like birds on radar. Furthermore, unlike high-velocity missiles launched from afar, drones can be procured domestically.
Fabian Hintz, a missile expert with IISS, remarked that drones “significantly enhance” the capabilities of adversarial nations or groups.
“How many targets does a nation have? How effectively can we protect all our assets against such threats?” he posed.
The photo, released by Irkutsk Regional Gov. Igor Kobzev’s Telegram Channel on Sunday, June 1, 2025, clearly shows the combustion truck used to launch a Ukrainian drone. (Irkutsk Gov. Igor Kobzev Telegram Channel via AP, file)
Ukrainian Ingenuity and Readiness
In “Operation Spider Web,” Ukraine disclosed the use of first-person view (FPV) drones, which were smuggled into Russia, packed in wooden containers, and transported to locations near airfields in the Irkutsk, Murmansk, and Amur regions.
The Ukrainian Security Services (SBU) reported that these drones featured highly automated systems, partially piloted by operators and utilizing artificial intelligence, following pre-planned routes even if they lost signal. Such AI technologies were likely unavailable to Ukraine just five years ago.
SBU footage displayed drones flying over and under Russian aircraft, some obscured by tires. Experts suggested that tires may have been used to confuse automatic targeting systems by breaking up the silhouette of the aircraft or providing rudimentary protection.
“The creativity displayed by the Ukrainians in this operation evidently caught the Russians entirely off guard,” said Barry.
Satellite imagery analyzed by the Associated Press confirmed the destruction of seven bombers at the tarmac of the Belaya Air Base in Irkutsk, the headquarters of the Russian long-range bomber fleet. At least three TU-95 four-engine turboprop bombers and four TU-22M twin-engine supersonic bombers appear to have been destroyed.
Since the onset of Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, the capability of Ukraine’s forces has grown. Employing innovative tactics, they have deployed wooden decoys mimicking costly US air defense systems to lure Russian missiles, established anti-drone units operating from pickup trucks, and redeployed used weaponry.
Experts have drawn parallels between Sunday’s operation and Israeli missions conducted the previous year that targeted sites in Lebanon and Syria, utilizing small explosive drones against adversaries.
The US employed Predator drones over a decade ago to engage Taliban fighters thousands of miles away. Technological advancements have since made such features accessible in smaller drones.
Hintz compared the current state of drone warfare to the evolution of tanks which made their debut in World War I, as engineers sought optimal integration of tanks within combat scenarios.
With drones, “We are merely in the phase of comprehension, and rapid changes mean what works today may falter tomorrow,” he stated.
Impact of the Attack on Russian Operations in Ukraine
IISS expert Hintz noted that the TU-95 bomber targeted by Ukraine is “effectively irreplaceable” as it is no longer in production. Ukraine also reported having engaged the A-50 early warning aircraft, along with AWACS planes responsible for coordinating air assaults, diminishing numbers within Russia.
The photo, released by Irkutsk Regional Gov. Igor Kobzev’s Telegram Channel on Sunday, June 1, 2025, shows smoke rising above the Belaya Air Base in eastern Siberia after a drone attack in Ukraine. (Irkutsk Gov. Igor Kobzev Telegram Channel via AP, file)
“Regardless of how you analyze it, this is costly for Russia,” states Thomas Wishington from the Royal United Services Institute in London. “The financial toll is evident.”
Russia will need to repair damaged aircraft, enhance the protection of remaining planes, and improve its capacity to thwart such operations, he noted. Experts also believe this strike could prompt Moscow to accelerate replacement plans for the TU-95.
While it highlights Russia’s vulnerabilities, it remains uncertain whether this will lead to a decline in Ukraine’s airstrikes.
During the conflict, Russia has aimed to overwhelm Ukraine’s air defenses using drones, including decoys without payloads. On several nights last month, Moscow launched over 300 drones.
“Even if Ukraine manages to damage a significant proportion of the Russian bomber fleet, it’s uncertain if the bomber force plays a critical role in the ongoing conflict,” stated Lee.
Data from the Ukrainian Air Force analyzed by the Associated Press indicates that between July and December 2024, Russia deployed the TU-22M3S and TU-95 against Ukraine only 14 times, while drones were employed almost nightly.
Sunday’s operation might temporarily hinder Russia’s ability to conduct strategic missile attacks, but it is likely to find ways to compensate, according to Lee.
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Associated Press writer Hannah Alilova in Kyiv, Ukraine, contributed to this report.
Source: apnews.com