In a bold new tactic, Ukraine launched a drone attack on four key airbases deep inside Russian territory—some 3,000 miles from the front lines. The operation, code-named Spiderweb, is the most daring since the war began and shows Kyiv will keep the pressure on Moscow even as battles drag on and peace talks stall.
Belaya, Olenya, Dyagilevo Among Key Targets
The Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) confirmed the strikes hit strategic targets including Belaya Air Base in Irkutsk, Olenya in the Arctic Circle, Dyagilevo in western Russia and Ivanovo.
Videos verified by CNN show smoke rising from runways and aircraft—TU-95 bombers and an A-50 surveillance plane—engulfed in flames.
Ukraine used 117 drones hidden inside mobile wooden homes on trucks. They planned the attack over months. When ready, the roofs of the homes were opened remotely and the drones launched in waves.
Following the attack, Russia was caught off guard. The damage done is estimated at $7 billion and 34% of Russia’s cruise missile carriers.
Strike Overshadows Fragile Peace Talks
The attack comes as Russia and Ukraine are set to resume peace talks in Istanbul, a process already under strain. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called the mission “absolutely unique” while the SBU said “we will strike them at sea, in the air and on land.”
Russia’s Ministry of Defence said several aircraft were damaged but called the attack a “terrorist” act. They claim some drones were intercepted, and no one was killed. But the damage to aircraft and infrastructure is clear in satellite imagery and social media footage.
War Expands While Diplomacy Falters
The attack came after Russia’s record-breaking drone attack on Ukraine just days ago—472 drones in one night—and a missile strike on a Ukrainian training site that killed 12 and wounded over 60.
Peace talks now go forward under a cloud of violence. Ukraine’s demands remain firm: a full ceasefire, prisoner exchange and return of kidnapped children.
However, with Putin absent from talks and Trump getting impatient with Russia’s position, the road to peace looks uncertain.
Ukraine’s latest move may be retaliation—it’s a message that the war has gone beyond the front lines and Kyiv is not backing down.
Stay tuned to Brandsynario for latest news and updates