Ukraine's Deep Strike Drone Offensive Stuns Russia with $7 Billion Blow to Strategic Bombers

CLEVELAND 13 (WCTU) — Ukraine launched its most extensive and damaging strike on Russian soil since the start of the war, deploying a clandestine swarm of 117 drones that reached as far as Siberia and damaged or destroyed dozens of strategic bombers on June 1. The operation, dubbed “Spider’s Web,” was the culmination of an 18-month covert mission, according to Ukrainian officials, and marked a dramatic escalation in the conflict just as peace talks were set to resume in Istanbul.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called the attack “absolutely brilliant,” saying in a Telegram message, “Russia has had very tangible losses, and justifiably so.” Ukrainian intelligence estimated that $7 billion in damage was inflicted and that 41 aircraft—nearly a third of Russia’s strategic cruise missile carriers—were affected across four air bases. Among the targets were nuclear-capable bombers, including the Tu-95 and Tu-22M, and A-50 early warning aircraft, some located over 2,600 miles from the front lines.

Russia’s Defense Ministry confirmed that drones caused fires at airfields in the Murmansk and Irkutsk regions, though it downplayed the scope of the damage and reported no casualties. The Ministry also said attacks on additional bases in the Amur, Ivanovo, and Ryazan regions had been repelled. It acknowledged that drones had been launched “from an area in close proximity to airfields,” suggesting a deep infiltration of Russian territory.

Videos and satellite imagery reviewed by The New York Times and other outlets confirmed damage at multiple bases, including at least a dozen strategic bombers struck. At Belaya air base in Irkutsk, verified footage showed drones descending toward Tu-95 bombers. Another video appeared to show drones launching from containers disguised as modular buildings on trucks.

A senior Ukrainian intelligence official, speaking anonymously, described how the drones had been smuggled into Russia in wooden crates with remote-controlled lids. Ukrainian officials claimed the truck drivers were unaware of their cargo, and the crates were rigged to self-destruct after deployment.

American and European intelligence assessments, while more conservative, still acknowledged significant losses. Western officials estimated that up to 20 strategic aircraft were likely damaged or destroyed, including six Tu-95s and four Tu-22Ms. “The surprise that they achieved will have a shock on the system,” retired U.S. General Ben Hodges said.

The Russian bomber fleet, composed mainly of aging Soviet-era aircraft, is not easily replenished. Production of the Tu-95 and Tu-22M ended after the collapse of the Soviet Union, and only a small number of modern Tu-160s remain in service. Analysts noted that any losses to the A-50 fleet, Russia’s version of the U.S. AWACS, are especially damaging due to the limited number in operation.

While some Russian military bloggers likened the strike to Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941, others rejected the analogy. The drone assault did not result in any reported deaths and caused a fraction of the destruction seen in the historic U.S. base attack. Nonetheless, the psychological and strategic impact of Ukraine's operation has been profound.

“This might give impetus to Russia’s stalled bomber modernization program,” said Douglas Barrie of the International Institute of Strategic Studies. Satellite images have previously shown Russian attempts to protect bombers with old tires—a move that has drawn widespread ridicule.

The timing of the operation—one day before U.S.-brokered peace talks—was not incidental. While Ukraine has pursued diplomacy, the operation demonstrated its ability to retaliate deep within Russian territory. “That is what will push [Russia] toward diplomacy,” Zelenskyy asserted.

Despite the show of force, talks in Istanbul did not yield a breakthrough. U.S. President Donald Trump, who has vacillated in his stance, criticized Russian President Vladimir Putin following a Russian barrage that killed civilians in Ukraine days earlier. “He has gone absolutely CRAZY,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.

Oksana Markarova, Ukraine’s ambassador to the U.S., highlighted the innovative nature of the strike during a Washington event. “It’s the best example of how innovation can and should work in defense,” she said.

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