Ukraine&rsquo;s Stealth Drone Offensive Cripples Russian Bomber Fleet in Strategic Blow to Kremlin
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In one of the most audacious covert operations of the war to date, Ukraine has struck deep inside Russian territory, delivering a calculated and crippling blow to Moscow&rsquo;s long-range strike capabilities. Over the weekend, Ukrainian forces launched a meticulously planned drone offensive against multiple Russian air bases, targeting some of the Kremlin&rsquo;s most strategically significant bomber fleets.
The operation, executed by Ukraine&rsquo;s Security Service (SBU) and codenamed Spider Web, marked a new chapter in asymmetric warfare. After nearly 18 months of planning, the SBU used first-person-view (FPV) drones, ingeniously smuggled into Russia and concealed within mobile wooden cabins mounted on trucks. At the precise moment, these makeshift launch pods activated, releasing a swarm of drones toward four key military airfields across Russia.
The coordinated strikes reportedly damaged or destroyed at least 41 aircraft across airbases in Belaya (Irkutsk), Olenya (Murmansk), Diaghilev (Ryazan), and Ivanovo. Among the aircraft targeted were some of Russia&rsquo;s crown jewels in strategic aviation&mdash;A-50 airborne early warning systems, Tu-95 long-range cruise missile bombers, and Tu-22M3 supersonic bombers.
According to Ukrainian assessments, the operation disabled 34 percent of Russia&rsquo;s cruise missile delivery platforms, with total estimated damages amounting to approximately $7 billion. The ramifications of this attack are both tactical and symbolic. Not only does it severely constrain Russia&rsquo;s ability to launch large-scale missile barrages against Ukrainian cities, but it also signals a growing capacity within Ukrainian intelligence to project force deep behind enemy lines.
President Volodymyr Zelensky lauded the operation, describing it as a &ldquo;brilliant&rdquo; execution that exemplifies Ukraine&rsquo;s resolve to push Russian forces out &ldquo;from air, sea, land&mdash;and if necessary, from underground.&rdquo;
In retaliation, Russia unleashed a fresh wave of attacks on Ukrainian territory. In the early hours of June 2, Kharkiv came under assault from both drones and ballistic missiles. The Kholodnohirskyi district bore the brunt of the drone strikes, which injured six civilians, including a 7-year-old child. Two ballistic missiles struck Kyivskyi district&mdash;one landing perilously close to a local school, the other damaging residential buildings. Mayor Ihor Terekhov described the attack as nothing short of miraculous in terms of the absence of fatalities.
These strikes are widely seen as Moscow&rsquo;s reprisal for the loss of strategic bombers. Yet Kyiv&rsquo;s warning radar had already detected signs of an impending escalation. President Zelensky, in a somber evening address, stated that Russian preparations for another mass missile strike were already underway even before Ukraine&rsquo;s drone offensive was launched. He urged civilians not to ignore air raid alerts as the volume of Russian strike drones continues to rise.
&ldquo;Last night alone, nearly 500 drones were launched,&rdquo; Zelensky noted. &ldquo;And now they&rsquo;ve readied Kalibr missiles from sea-based platforms.&rdquo;
The latest developments underscore a shifting balance in the war&mdash;one in which Ukraine, through innovation and sheer will, is increasingly dictating the tempo and geography of conflict, challenging Russia not only at the front but at the very heart of its military infrastructure.

Ukraine Strike on Russian Defence installations (file photos)

Stealth drone op hits 41 Russian aircraft, cripples key airbases in multi-target strike

Ukraine Hits Russian Bombers in Deep Strike Raid

Stealth drone op hits 41 Russian aircraft, cripples key airbases in multi-target strike

June 2, 2025 | 11:04 IST