The Russian Ministry of Defense issued an official statement on Saturday confirming large-scale Ukrainian drone attacks on military airfields across five regions inside Russia.
The operation was launched covertly from within Russian territory, and reportedly took more than a year to prepare.
Ukraine claims that 41 Russian aircraft were lost in the operation, which it dubbed 'Spider's Web', with the majority of the aircraft being strategic bombers and one An-50 AWACS plane.
Russian Statement
Russia called the strikes “terrorist attacks” orchestrated by the Kiev regime, and said some of the perpetrators had been arrested:
“Today, the Kiev regime carried out a terrorist attack using FPV drones against airfields in the Murmansk, Irkutsk, Ivanovo, Ryazan, and Amur regions. At military airfields in the Ivanovo, Ryazan, and Amur regions, all terrorist attacks were repelled. In the Murmansk and Irkutsk regions, several aircraft caught fire following launches of FPV drones from areas near the airfields. The fires have since been extinguished. There are no casualties among military personnel or civilians. Some participants in the terrorist attacks have been detained."
Russian sources also claim that the driver of the truck that launched the drones at the Oleyna air base in Murmansk was detained, with another driver having been found dead, however this has not yet been confirmed.
Confirmed Losses
Footage circulating on social media appears to show drones striking aircraft at the Olenya Air Base in Murmansk, as well as Belya Air Base in Irkutsk. Visual evidence indicates that at least four Tu-95 strategic bombers and one An-12 military transport aircraft were hit. In total, confirmed aircraft impacted across Irkutsk and Murmansk regions reportedly reached 9, including four Tu-95 bombers, one An-12, and five Tu-22M bombers, though these figures could rise as damage assessments continue.
Warehouse Discovered And Drivers Detained
Russian authorities also claimed they had located a warehouse in the Chelyabinsk region of Sverdlovsk used to store the drones involved in at least one of the attacks. Investigators said the vehicle used to launch drones at the Ukrainka Airbase in the Amur region bore Chelyabinsk license plates.
The drivers of the trucks from which the drones were launched in the Ivanovo and Ryazan regions have been located and detained.
Trump Not Informed
Axios reported that the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump was notified in advance of the planned attacks, citing a Ukrainian official, however the officials from the Trump Administration, speaking to CBS news, denied having any prior knowledge of the attacks.
These strikes came just hours after another major incident in Russia's Bryansk region, where an explosion reportedly collapsed a bridge onto a passing passenger train, killing at least seven people.
Despite these escalating attacks, the Russian delegation has reportedly departed for Istanbul for a second round of peace negotiations with Ukraine since talks resumed on May 16.
According to Reuters, Ukraine’s demands at Sunday’s negotiations will include:
· A 30-day complete ceasefire
· A full exchange of prisoners of war under the “all for all” principle
· A direct meeting between Presidents Volodymyr Zelensky and Vladimir Putin
· No restrictions on Ukrainian military operations
· No recognition of occupied territories as Russian
· Reparations from Russia
· Ceasefire negotiations based on the current frontlines
With both sides maintaining vastly different positions, and in light of recent high-profile attacks, expectations for any breakthrough in Istanbul remain low. Ukrainian officials may approach the talks from what they perceive as a position of strength, while public sentiment in Russia may harden, reducing the Kremlin's appetite for compromise.