In a sudden and unprecedented attack likened by international media to the ‘Russian Pearl Harbor,’ Ukraine launched a massive drone strike on Sunday, June 1, 2025. The operation targeted five deep-inside Russian military airbases, destroying critical long-range assets of the Russian Air Force. According to Kyiv’s account, 117 drones were deployed, damaging or destroying 41 Russian aircraft, mainly strategic Tu-95 bombers. The Russian Defense Ministry admitted to attacks in five regions—Murmansk, Irkutsk, Ivanovo, Ryazan, and Amur—but claimed most were repelled. The ‘destruction mechanism’ involved kamikaze FPV (first-person view) drones launched from trucks parked near the military airfields. These drones were secretly transported into Russia hidden under wooden roofs of ‘prefabricated houses,’ driven unsuspectingly by Russian drivers.
The mastermind behind the ‘Spider Web’ operation is reportedly Artem Tymofieiev, a Ukrainian citizen with alleged ‘entrepreneurial’ activities in Chelyabinsk, Russia. Russian authorities now hunt him as the brains behind the operation, with his name and photo circulating widely. Born in Zhytomyr, Ukraine, he lived in Kyiv before relocating to Chelyabinsk years ago as an entrepreneur. A Russian blogger dubbed him a ‘wolf in sheep’s clothing.’
On June 1, over a hundred Ukrainian drones struck Russian airbases, targeting bombers capable of carrying nuclear weapons. The scale of the ‘Spider Web’ operation became evident almost immediately, with explosions reported across Russia. While the Russian Defense Ministry confirmed attacks in five regions, it stated that only Murmansk and Irkutsk saw aircraft damage, claiming others were thwarted. Images showed Vasyl Maluk, head of Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU), examining a satellite map of airports with marked bases attacked. Drones were smuggled into Russia inside wooden crates placed in truck beds, with modified roofs opening via remote control. Drivers unknowingly transported them close to airbases, where the drones were launched. Videos show drones emerging from a truck roof. Some drivers attempted to destroy the drones with rocks upon realizing their cargo. Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who personally oversaw the operation, celebrated its success on social media, stating that one target was near an FSB office. Despite Russian claims of arrests, Zelenskyy insists those involved are safe outside Russia. This isn’t Ukraine’s first unconventional operation; in October 2022, SBU hit Russia’s Kerch Bridge.