**Ukraine’s “Spider Web” Drone Operation Inflicts Significant Damage on Russia**
The Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) has reported that a recent drone operation, code-named “Spider Web,” has caused approximately $7 billion in damages and disabled 34% of cruise missile carriers in key Russian airbases. The agency confirmed that more details about the attack will be revealed later.
**A Message from the SBU**
The SBU issued a statement quoting Ukrainian poet Lina Kostenko, saying: “Ukraine is exceptional. Ukraine is unique. All the steamrollers of history have rolled over it. It has withstood every kind of trial.” The agency vowed to continue driving Russian forces out of Ukrainian territory, stating that they will strike Russia at sea, in the air, and on the ground.
**A Year and a Half in Preparation**
According to a Kyiv Independent SBU source, the “Spider Web” operation had been in preparation for over a year and a half. The plan involved covertly transporting first-person-view (FPV) drones deep into Russian territory and hiding them inside trucks before launching them against four major airfields.
**Targeting Russia’s Strategic Assets**
The source revealed that one of the airfields hit was the Belaya air base in Russia’s Irkutsk Oblast, more than 4,000 kilometers from Ukraine. Other targets included the Olenya air base in Russia’s Murmansk Oblast, the Diaghilev airbase in Ryazan Oblast, and the Ivanovo airbase in Ivanovo Oblast. More than 40 aircraft were known to have been hit, including the A-50, Tu-95, and Tu-22 M3.
**The Tu-95: A Soviet-Era Plane with a Nuclear Past**
The Tu-95 is a Soviet-era plane that made its first flight in 1952. Originally used to carry nuclear bombs, it has since evolved to launch cruise missiles. Each aircraft can carry 16 cruise missiles – either the Kh-55/Kh-555 or the newer Kh-101 and Kh-102 air-launched cruise missiles.
**Russia’s Escalating Attacks on Ukraine**
The “Spider Web” operation comes amid Russia’s escalating attacks against Ukraine in recent weeks. On May 26, Russian forces launched a massive drone attack involving 355 Shahed-type attack drones and decoys. The SBU’s statement echoes the determination of the Ukrainian people to continue fighting against Russian aggression.
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