Ukrainian drones strike Russian airbases

Ukraine conducted a massive drone attack against Russian military
bases, striking thousands of kilometres from its own territory


Ukrainian attacks, Jun 1

UKRAINE
Kyiv
Moscow

Olenya airbase
1,900km from Ukraine

Ivanovo
airbase

Dyagilevo 
airbase

Arctic Ocean
RUSSIA

Belaya airbase
4,300km from Ukraine

Ukrainka
airbase
(attempted
attack)


Tu-22M3
bomber


OPERATION SPIDER’S WEB

Ukraine’s SBU security service
says mission required more than
18 months of preparation

First-person view (FPV) drones
smuggled into Russia inside wooden
cabins mounted on trucks

Trucks driven close to targets.
At designated moment, cabin roofs
open by remote control and drones
released

Ukrainian president
Volodymyr Zelensky
claims operation
used total of 117
quadcopter drones,
each with its own
remote pilot


DAMAGE ASSESSMENT

SBU says attacks damaged or
destroyed at least 41 aircraft used
to “bomb Ukrainian cities”,
representing 34% of Russia’s
long range cruise missile-carrying
strategic bomber fleet

Estimated cost of affected
strategic aviation is $7 billion

Aircraft targeted include Tu-95
and Tu-22M3 bombers and A-50
airborne early warning and control
aircraft


Sources: BBC, France 24, ISW 
Pictures: Getty Images, X 
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