In a dramatic escalation of the ongoing conflict between Ukraine and Russia, Ukraine’s strategic military operation known as “Spider’s Web” has occurred, marking what has been described as the largest long-range drone assault in the history of the war. This operation, executed on June 1, 2025, involved the Ukrainian security service, the SBU (Security Service of Ukraine), utilizing 117 drones to target and strike 40 Russian warplanes across four significant military bases. The news broke with an announcement from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who emphasized that this operation had significantly impacted Russia’s military capabilities, claiming that around 34% of Russian strategic cruise missile carriers were hit.
The logistical execution of this endeavor was indeed complex. According to SBU sources, years of planning culminated in this well-coordinated attack where drones were smuggled into Russian territory and cleverly concealed within mobile wooden cabins mounted on trucks. These trucks were strategically placed near the targeted airbases, allowing operators to launch the drones at the opportune moment. Ukrainian officials have stated that this meticulous operation took over a year and a half to prepare, showcasing their commitment to conducting operations on Russian soil. In a matter of hours following the strikes, Russian officials confirmed attacks in five regions but condemned them as terrorism.
As a counter-response, Russian and Ukrainian negotiators were scheduled to convene in Istanbul for a second round of peace talks, a testament to the ongoing efforts to find a resolution to the conflict. Expectations surrounding these talks remained low, given the apparent disparities in the negotiating positions held by each side. Reports also emerged of significant military actions, with Ukrainian authorities revealing that they had been subjected to drone and missile attacks that resulted in civilian injuries, detailing that at least six victims, including a child, were reported from Kharkiv.
In the context of the war’s evolution, this recent strike illustrates the dramatic shifts in tactics being employed. The SBU has allocated significant resources to develop capabilities enabling them to launch drone strikes well beyond their borders. Notably, the bases targeted included the Belaya base in Irkutsk, Olenya in Murmansk, Dyagilevo in Ryazan, and Ivanovo in Ivanovo oblast — locations geographically extensive and indicative of the operational range the SBU aims to establish.
Furthermore, the operation’s success left an estimated damage cost to Russian strategic aviation at approximately $7 billion. President Zelensky, in remarks shared through social media channels, congratulated SBU head Vasyl Maliuk for the “brilliant result,” underlining the precision and success of their operations. He also revealed that during the operation, SBU personnel were adjacent to facilities belonging to Russia’s FSB, the country’s federal security service, highlighting the audacity and calculated nature of the strike.
Nonetheless, the environment remains perilous. Russian officials have maintained that all attacks targeting military airbases have been repelled, claiming fires at several aircraft were extinguished, and certain participants in these supposed terrorist acts were detained. Concurrently, Ukraine reported a dramatic uptick in drone strikes against its territory, claiming to have neutralized 385 aerial threats amid a wave of Russian attacks, which included multiple ballistic and cruise missiles.
The conflict, which intensified with Russian President Vladimir Putin’s full-scale invasion in February 2022, has left Moscow currently in control of approximately 20% of Ukrainian territory, solidifying the contentious nature of the ongoing discourse between the two nations. As the world watches these developments unfold, discussions surrounding potential resolutions to the conflict have taken on heightened urgency, particularly in light of the evolving tactics being employed by both sides in their military engagements.