Ukraine Executes Audacious Sneak Drone Attack on Russian Warplanes Under ‘Operation Spider Web', Why India Needs to be Worried

Operation Spider Web

On Sunday 1 June 2025, Ukraine executed "Spider Web," the most audacious large-scale sneak drone attack on Russian warplanes. The attack carried out via First-Person-View/FPV drone were conducted deep inside Russia, as far as Siberia. The unmanned drones were smuggled into Russia ahead of the surprise attack, then reportedly concealed in the false roofs of small houses fixed on trucks and then launched from the very same trucks positioned on roads right next to airbases within 4 or 5 km radius. Notably, these air bases are about 2,000 and 5,000 kilometres (1,243 miles and 3,107 miles) away from Kyiv, Ukraine’s capital respectively.

This clandestine attack on 5 airbases by Ukraine is being called one of the most sophisticated and "spectacular" operations of the war between the two nations, now in its fourth year since Russia's 2022 invasion. On the eve of peace talks, the swarm drone attack using FPV drones on four separate airfields is set to ramp up the war level. Videos from the affected military airfields across Russia showed destroyed aircraft and planes engulfed in flames, though the full extent of the damage remained unclear. The whole scenario has been pretty well explained here.

Ukraine used ‘Trojan horse’ trucks that were placed few kms away from the airfields, which is a bit surprising that Russia had virtually no proper surveillance cordon surrounding the airfields. What affect will it have on the peace negotiations set to take place in Istanbul, Turkey on Monday is not known. According to Politico, citing an unnamed official within Ukraine's secret service known as the SBU, reports the operation was authorized and carried out at the highest levels. The SBU official said that to prepare for the operation, called "Pavutyna" [or "spider web"), Ukrainian operatives delivered FPV drones inside Russia with mobile wooden housings.

That official also said "Later, in the Russian Federation, the drones were hidden under the roofs of housings, already placed on trucks. At the right moment, the roofs of the housings were opened remotely, and the drones flew to strike the Russian bombers." the official said. What is more worrying for Russia is that such elaborate operation couldn’t have been pulled off by Ukraine without foreign help, mostly probably MI6 of UK as well as traitors from inside Russia disenchanted with current government.

Al Jazeera's Dorsa Jabbari, reporting from Moscow, said "That means this was an elaborate operation, most likely by the Ukrainians, that involved a number of people inside Russia. Among the aircraft reportedly hit were Tu-95 and Tu-22 strategic bombers, which Russia uses to fire long-range missiles at Ukrainian cities." Ukraine’s Security Service claimed to have struck more than 40 Russian bombers deep inside Russian territory. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy did not directly address the operation code-named “Spiderweb”, but said that Ukraine was “doing everything to protect our independence, our state, and our people,” after saying he had received updates from intelligence agencies and the SBU.

Ukraine president Zelensky’s chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, posted an emoji of a spiderweb on Sunday, seemingly referencing the name of the massive drone operation. An unnamed official of SBU said, the remarkable attack was in the works for over a year and a half. The SBU first smuggled drones into Russia, followed by mobile wooden cabins. Once inside Russia, the drones were hidden under cabin roofs mounted on cargo trucks. During the attack, the roofs were opened remotely, most (probably via satellite link) enabling the drones to launch at Russian bombers. The operation code-named “Spiderweb”, follows a night of bombardment, with Russia launching 472 drones. The strategy involved concealing explosive drones inside wooden mobile cabins mounted on trucks.

These trucks were then quietly positioned near Russian airfields, from where the drone payloads were launched remotely at a carefully chosen moment. Reports suggest that Ukraine used artificial intelligence-powered first-person view attack drones. Russia's Ministry of Defence acknowledging the drone strikes on airfields across five regions; said it was a "terrorist attack" in the regions of Murmansk, Irkutsk, Ivanovo, Ryazan and Amur. The ministry says that all of the attacks were "repelled". As a result of the launch of FPV drones from the territory located in the immediate vicinity of airfields, several pieces of aviation equipment caught fire. The fires have now been extinguished, it adds."

The strikes so close to the targets using FPV drones mean that traditional Russian self-defence systems such as S-300 / S-400 long range SAMs, and even their shorter-range counterparts, Pantsir SA-22s, are ineffective. It also means that there was little warning that such an attack was coming to get aircraft to the relative safety of hardened shelters. Reportedly the attacks were carried out well below the detection range of any Russian radar system.

           

First-Person-View/FPV Drones Used by Ukraine

An earlier report by Forbes detailed how Ukrainian tech startup Strategy Force Solutions (StratForce) unveiled autonomous “mothership” drones capable of deploying first-person view (FPV) attack drones for long-range, deep-strike missions against Russian targets. The AI-enhanced GOGOL-M drones are claimed to have already completed operational missions, hitting targets up to 300 kilometers away — a range that traditionally required expensive cruise missiles. Instead of firing million-dollar munitions, Ukraine reportedly used $10,000 drone sorties that combine autonomy, AI, and modular deployment.

Each GOGOL-M drone carries two lightweight FPV drones embedded with the company’s SmartPilot system. Once released, the FPV drones execute precision strikes, while the mothership returns for reuse. “By pairing FPV drones with AI motherships, we can guarantee precision strikes,” said StratForce CTO Andrii (surname withheld) in a conversation with Forbes. He compared the drone’s navigation capabilities to self-driving cars, though designed to operate autonomously in the sky. The SmartPilot system uses cameras, LIDAR, and other sensors for autonomous flight, target recognition, and real-time decision-making — without relying on GPS or constant human input. That enables missions like search-and-destroy, aircraft ambushes, or even tactical loitering near high-value targets.

It supports ambush missions, landing and waiting for targets, and autonomous search in real time. These drones can lurk near runways or key roadways, then strike at the right moment, mimicking the instincts of a remote human pilot but without the latency or need for remote control. StratForce says it can currently produce 50 GOGOL-M motherships and 400 FPV drones per month, depending on military procurement. The blend of AI autonomy and low-cost drone swarms could represent a strategic leap — not just for Ukraine, but for modern warfare globally. The operation code-named “Spiderweb”, was personally supervised by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Ukrainian security officials claimed to the Associated Press on Sunday that Kyiv has destroyed more than 40 Russian planes in a drone attack deep in Russia’s territory, but it cant be verified. Russia had proposed a fresh round of talks in Istanbul, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has confirmed that Ukraine will send a delegation to Istanbul for a new round of direct peace talks with Russia on Monday.

Russian Planes Hit

Ukraine on Sunday carried out a surprised FPV drone attack on Russian airfields and Ukraine claimed that it has destroyed more than 40 Russian planes, dealing what Kyiv claims is a multibillion-dollar blow to Moscow’s long-range strike capabilities. The number of drones in the attack was unclear. Russia confirmed the Ukrainian drone attacks in the regions of Murmansk, Irkutsk, Ivanovo, Ryazan and Amur. The year-and-a-half-long operation was orchestrated by the SBU and personally overseen by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and SBU chief Vasyl Malyuk.

In his first statement since the drone operation took place, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's says the people involved in preparing the major drone attack "were withdrawn from Russian territory in time". "The most interesting thing - and we can already say this publicly - is that the 'office' of our operation on Russian territory was located right next to the FSB of Russia in one of their regions," an English translation of his post on Telegram reads. The FSB is Russia's security service.

He further claimed 34% of the cruise missile carriers at the targeted airfields were hit. He's further posted on social media calling operation "an absolutely brilliant result" and one "achieved solely by Ukraine”. Zelensky said he met with the head of the the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), Gen Vasyl Maliuk, and asked him to disclose the details and results of the operation to the public. These attacks are likely to have dealt a significant blow to Russia's aerial cruise missile strike capability.

Beriev A-50

The Beriev A-50 is an airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft that is based on the Ilyushin Il-76 transport plane. The A-50 plays a crucial role in Russia's war efforts in Ukraine, serving functions such as detecting enemy air defense systems, tracking guided missiles, and coordinating targets for Russian fighter aircraft. With fewer than ten in service, each A-50 carries an estimated cost of $350 million.

Tupolev Tu-95

The Tupolev Tu-95 is a four-engine turboprop-powered strategic bomber and missile platform. It first flew in 1952 and was originally designed to carry nuclear weapons. Later, it was adapted to launch cruise missiles, including the Kh-55, Kh-555, and the more advanced Kh-101 and Kh-102. It was engineered for long-range missions, with Cold War-era efficiency allowing it to reach the United States without refueling.

Tu-95 bombers, are said to have launched a large-scale Kh-101 missile attack on Ukraine earlier this year. They have been used extensively since the full-scale invasion of February 2022 and so are a vital target for the Ukrainian military. Each of these bombers can carry eight guided cruise missiles and each missile itself carries a 400kg (882lb) warhead with range of thousands of kilometres, which allows such strategic aircrafts to be deploy well inside the relative safety of Russian airspace.

Tupolev Tu-22

The Tu-22 carries the high-speed Kh-22 missile, which presents a serious threat to Ukraine. Capable of reaching speeds around 4,000 kilometers per hour, it can currently be intercepted only by advanced systems like the US-made Patriot or the Italian-French SAMP-T air defense systems.

Tupolev Tu-160

The Tu-160, Russia’s most modern strategic bomber, entered service in 1987 and remains the largest operational bomber in the world. It is capable of carrying up to 12 Kh-55 cruise missiles or 24 Kh-15s, offering significant firepower in long-range operations.

Russia’s Response to Operation Spider’s Web

Russian state-operated media outlet Tass has reported that the driver of one of the drone carrying truck believed to be involved in the drone attack is being questioned by police. The report further adds that the "exact number of UAVs [drones] has not yet been counted", but says there is no threat to the public at this time. Ukraine’s audacious attacks happen as a second round of direct talks between Ukrainian and Russian officials is scheduled to happen in Istanbul on Monday. This is part of revived diplomatic efforts, spearheaded by US President Donald Trump, for a ceasefire deal – and, eventually, an end to the war. Before the attacks, it was difficult to see any kind of breakthrough in these negotiations, given how far apart both sides remain in their conditions.

The first round of talks, on 16 May 2025 reached little more than an agreement for a prisoner exchange. On Sunday, President Volodymyr Zelensky listed Ukraine’s positions for the talks that included a complete and unconditional ceasefire, the release of prisoners and the return of abducted children. Russia, so far, has rejected calls for an unconditional ceasefire and repeatedly made demands that have already been rejected by Ukraine. Russia is likely to harden its stand further. Russia, which intensified its air attacks against Ukraine in recent weeks, and officials in Kyiv have warned that Moscow may be preparing a new summer offensive.

Though some if not all of the Russian aircraft that were hit may not have been completely destroyed, and they can be repaired, but that still takes them - at the very least - out of the fight for a long time. How fast Russia can do it remains to be seen. But will it stop Russia, it’s highly unlikely. Good chance that it will double down on attack on Ukraine until its objectives are achieved. Russian objectives of attacking Ukraine have been specified here.

Why India Must Be Worried

The way Ukraine orchestrated this audacious drone attack on Russia will not have any impact on war fighting capability of Russia for sure. Russia is too large and well equipped and prepared with huge number of back-ups planes for everything. At the most these fighter bombers will be out of service only for a few months, after which they will be back in action, however chances that these fighter bombers will be scrapped or put of service completely is unlikely. The same, however, can be said about India and IAF. If its adversary like Pakistan attempts to replicate the same type of operation inside India, well and truly it will succeed as India lacks in number of fighters it can put into service (currently 31 squadron and set to drop further).

It must be noted that Pakistan’s secret service; ISI can use drug money made from illegal drug trade done in the lawless regions of Pakistan to fund such operation and can recruit many Indians to carry out its nefarious designs. Either it can pay huge amount to disgruntled individuals or honeytrap individuals in India to execute such kind of operation. Whats more Pakistan can do it anywhere, i.e. north, south, east or west; since it reportedly has strong presence in Nepal, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka. India needs to tighten its security in areas surrounding the critical airbase, increase surveillance, boost intelligence network, and more; especially in areas that are vulnerable. Not just Pakistan even China can resort to such attacks on India. It remains to be seen how well India learns and adapts to prepare for such attacks in future.