By Anthony Marcus for Eurasia Business News, June 2, 2025. Article no. 1536.

Ukraine has conducted a large-scale drone operation, codenamed “Spider’s Web” or “Web,” that destroyed over 40 Russian military aircraft deep inside Russian territory, including strategic bombers and surveillance planes. The attack targeted four airbases located thousands of kilometers from the front lines, including the Belaya air base in Irkutsk (Siberia), Olenya near Murmansk, Ivanovo, and Ryazan regions.

Among the destroyed aircraft were Tu-95 and Tu-22M long-range bombers and an A-50 surveillance plane, which are critical to Russia’s missile strike capabilities.

The operation took more than 18 months to plan and was personally supervised by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. It involved smuggling 117 FPV drones inside wooden mobile houses transported by trucks deep into Russia, where the drones were remotely launched to strike the airbases.

The Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) stated that the attack destroyed about 34% of Russia’s fleet of air missile carriers, causing estimated damages of $7 billion. Russian officials confirmed the attacks, describing them as a “terrorist act,” and reported damage and fires at the targeted bases.

Among the airfields attacked were: Belaya in Irkutsk, about 4,500 kilometers from Ukraine’s border with Russia, and the Diaghilevo base in Ryazan in western Russia, about 520 kilometers from Ukraine, which is a training center for Russia’s strategic bombers.

This unprecedented deep strike into Russian territory marks one of the most significant Ukrainian incursions inside Russia since the conflict began. The attack occurred just before a new round of peace talks between Ukraine and Russia scheduled in Istanbul, with Ukraine emphasizing its commitment to safeguarding its independence and people.

This massive attack can threaten the talks planned in Istanbul today, on June 2. Russian and Ukrainian officials convened in Istanbul for their second round of direct peace talks since 2022, aiming to find a resolution to the ongoing war.

The meeting took place at the Ciragan Palace under the oversight of Turkey’s Foreign Minister and intelligence officials, with the Ukrainian delegation led by Defense Minister Rustem Umerov and the Russian delegation headed by Kremlin aide Vladimir Medinsky.

The Ukrainian delegation arrived in Istanbul at 08:00 AM, Ukrainian media agency Suspilne reports, citing Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesman Georgy Tykhoy. The delegation of Ukraine, as at previous negotiations held on May 16, is headed by Defense Minister Rustem Umerov.

The meeting is scheduled for 13:00. The first round took place on May 16, during which the parties agreed to exchange prisoners in the 1000-1000 format and prepare a memorandum with proposals for a peaceful settlement.

According to Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Moscow has prepared a memorandum for the talks, which sets out its position “on all aspects of reliably overcoming the root causes of the crisis,” which the parties agreed on during the first round of negotiations. 

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© Copyright 2025 – Eurasia Business News. Article no. 1536.