What started as a typical Sunday morning quickly morphed into something straight out of a spy thriller—except this time, the drama wasn’t unfolding on screen but on real Russian military airfields.
While most Russians were still waking up, a swarm of Ukrainian drones was already in the sky, en route to deliver one of the boldest strikes of the war so far.
This covert mission, dubbed Operation Spiderweb, saw drones silently launch from unsuspecting civilian trucks parked near Russia’s prized strategic bomber bases.
The results were devastating—and a major embarrassment for Moscow.
The Trucks That Hid the Attack
Ukrainian intelligence operatives had spent months planning the mission, which used ordinary wooden shipping containers to hide deadly cargo.
These crates were loaded with first-person-view (FPV) kamikaze drones, and packed inside what looked like prefab modular homes.
Then, they were quietly transported across the border by Russian drivers who believed they were just making deliveries.
Once the vehicles reached locations near military airfields, everything was activated remotely.
The truck roofs opened automatically, unleashing waves of drones loaded with explosives, flying straight toward multimillion-dollar Russian bombers.
Russian Bombers Engulfed in Flames
Footage circulating online—some posted by Russian military bloggers themselves—shows fire and smoke engulfing aircraft on multiple airfields, including deep in Siberia, nearly 2,600 miles from the front lines.
Other targeted bases included Murmansk, Ivanovo, Ryazan, and even an airfield near Moscow.
According to sources within Ukraine’s SBU intelligence service, the attack destroyed or severely damaged 41 long-range bombers—roughly 34% of Russia’s strategic fleet.
These include Tu-95 and Tu-22M3 bombers, some of which are nuclear-capable.
Most importantly for Russia: they can’t be replaced. These aircraft are no longer in production.
Unwitting Drivers at the Heart of the Plot
What makes this mission even more stunning is how easily it slipped past Russian defenses.
The trucks were driven by local Russian men who claim they had no idea what was in their cargo.
Investigators have already started questioning several of them.
One driver from Chelyabinsk, a 55-year-old named Alexander, told police he had been hired to deliver “modular homes” to Murmansk.
He followed all instructions, even stopping at a petrol station as instructed—only for his truck’s roof to burst open and release dozens of drones.
Another man in Irkutsk, a 61-year-old named Andrey, said his vehicle was parked at a roadside cafe when the same thing happened.
In other locations like Ryazan and Ivanovo, drivers told similar stories—of being contacted by mystery callers and receiving strange instructions just before the strikes.
Chaos at the Airfields as Drones Took Off
Witnesses reported pure confusion and panic as drones suddenly emerged from trucks and took off. In some cases, desperate bystanders reportedly tried to throw stones at the drones to stop them mid-launch. One Russian channel said the drones were launched so close to an airfield that a man tried to block them with his bare hands.
The drones were equipped with cameras and piloted remotely, allowing for precise targeting of aircraft on the runways.
Each one was packed with explosives and designed for a one-way trip.
Meet the Mastermind Behind the Plan
All signs point to a man named Artem, a 37-year-old Ukrainian, believed to be the key coordinator behind the truck operations.
Russian officials are now hunting him, though it’s reported he fled before the strikes were launched.
According to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, the operation was personally overseen by him and planned for over 18 months.
The attack was timed to fall on the anniversary of the 1996 Budapest Memorandum, when Ukraine handed over its own strategic bombers to Russia with a promise from Moscow never to attack.
A Warehouse Next Door to Russian Intelligence
Adding salt to the wound for the Kremlin, the warehouse where the drones were allegedly prepared was located right next to a Russian FSB (Federal Security Service) office in Chelyabinsk.
Zelensky even joked about it, saying the operation’s HQ was set up just a wall away from Russia’s top spies.
According to the SBU, 117 drones were launched simultaneously across the country, with many hitting their marks and igniting airfields that had once seemed untouchable.
Russian Military Rocked by the Scale of the Attack
Pro-Russian military bloggers were forced to admit the scale of the destruction.
One described it as “Russia’s Pearl Harbor”, referring to the surprise Japanese attack on the U.S. in 1941.
Another simply called it a “black day” for Russian aviation.
Military experts agreed. Former RAF pilot Mikey Kay said, “It’s genius—nobody expected this, and the impact on Putin’s strategic bomber fleet is enormous.”
Professor Philip O’Brien of St Andrews University called it “the most remarkable and successful operation of the war.”
Russian Response Still Unclear but Likely Brutal
So far, the Kremlin has stayed unusually quiet, with Vladimir Putin not making a public appearance.
But insiders say retaliation is coming—not just against Ukraine, but also against Russian military and intelligence officers who failed to detect the plan.
Meanwhile, peace talks scheduled in Istanbul now hang in the balance.
Ukraine had been preparing to propose a 30-day ceasefire and a mutual return of prisoners.
But with this high-profile hit, Russia may walk away—or respond with more firepower.
More Chaos Along the Border as Bridges Collapse
And this wasn’t the only blow to Russian infrastructure.
Just hours before the drone strikes, bombs hit railway bridges in Bryansk and Kursk, derailing passenger and freight trains.
At least seven people were killed, and dozens injured.
Russia quickly labeled the attacks “terrorism.” In response, they launched their biggest drone and missile strike of the war so far, firing 472 drones and seven missiles overnight.
Zelensky Calls the Operation a Historic Success
For Ukraine, this was more than just a military victory—it was a moment of psychological and strategic triumph.
Zelensky said the attack on Russia’s irreplaceable bombers will “undoubtedly be in the history books.”
As the war grinds on, Operation Spiderweb has shifted perceptions, proving that even far behind enemy lines, Russia isn’t untouchable.
And for now, Ukraine holds the upper hand in one of the most daring operations of modern warfare.