The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) has released a four-minute video showcasing the Operation Spider’s Web drone strikes that occurred on Sunday, which reportedly inflicted damage on aircraft located over 4,000 kilometers from Ukrainian borders.
The SBU asserts that it successfully destroyed 41 military planes, valued at more than $7 billion; however, these claims have not been independently verified. Nevertheless, the newly released footage raises questions about the credibility of Moscow’s narrative and highlights the extent of Ukraine’s operations, which involved over 100 low-cost drones covertly brought into the country and deployed from modified shipping containers.
On the day of the assault, Russia’s Defense Ministry downplayed the extent of the damage, claiming to have thwarted three out of five attempted strikes. While Ukraine admitted to a failed attack on the Ukrainka base in the Far East Amur region, the footage shows that Ukrainian drones managed to penetrate four additional airbases.
The Moscow Times analyzed the video and identified the aircraft that were the targets. The footage depicts burning planes at two locations and Ukrainian drones approaching the aircraft’s most vulnerable points.
However, the video does not specify the number of affected aircraft, their operational readiness, or their present condition.
A report from May 2025 identified an airfield near Russia’s borders with Finland and Iceland as housing 11 Tu-95 bombers. Some of these bombers had been moved from the Engels-2 air base in the Saratov region following Ukrainian air strikes.
Originally designed to deploy nuclear weapons, these large Soviet-era bombers are currently outfitted with up to 16 cruise missiles targeting cities in Ukraine.
The Ukrainian drones specifically aimed for the wings of the Tu-95s, which are the aircraft’s weak spots. As Russia no longer manufactures these bombers, their replacement would pose a significant challenge.
The footage also revealed that Tu-22M3 bombers were attacked at their most vulnerable area – the fuselage.
Additionally, an An-12 cargo plane was targeted.
Many aircraft stationed at Russian bases have their wings covered with tires. This tactic, as explained by Schyler Moore, chief technology officer at U.S. Central Command, is meant to confuse AI-targeting systems rather than provide protection against drone strikes.
Two clips show drones landing on the mushroom-shaped radar domes of two A-50 aircraft parked closely together before the video feed is interrupted. One plane’s wings are covered with tires, while the other is protected with what looks like sandbags. There is no follow-up footage to indicate the condition of these aircraft afterward.
The 9-meter-wide domes house advanced radar capable of detecting incoming threats from Ukrainian missiles and aircraft. A-50s are crucial for target identification and coordination of Russian air operations.
The Moscow Times was unable to corroborate the operational status of these A-50s.
If they were indeed operational, the Ukrainian strikes would have dealt a significant blow to Russia, as the country possesses very few A-50s. In February 2024, Kyrylo Budanov, head of the Ukrainian army’s intelligence, stated that Moscow maintained only six of these $350 million aircraft, with two shot down by Ukraine earlier that year.
The Dyagilevo airbase functions as a training and aircraft repair facility. According to the U.S.-based think tank CSIS, the SBU intentionally targeted these facilities to disrupt Russia’s logistics and crew readiness, thus having a long-term impact on the capabilities of Russia’s air force beyond merely destroying aircraft.
High-resolution satellite images from Monday, reviewed by The War Zone, showed no apparent damage to the aircraft at the base, although damage from shrapnel may not be easily visible.
However, these images did reveal scorched patches of grass, which are supported by the SBU footage displaying clouds of gray smoke indicative of drone impacts.
Screenshots of Tu-22M3 jets display burning grass, potentially a result of Ukrainian quadcopter drones. As Russia no longer produces these jets, replacement would be challenging.
The attack on the Belaya base, located north of the city of Irkutsk in eastern Siberia, marks the furthest successful operation of this strike campaign.
Both open-source footage from the day of the attack and the SBU’s video illustrate thick smoke rising from damaged aircraft.
Belaya airbase is home to the 220th Heavy Bomber Aviation Regiment of Tu-22M3 bombers, several of which are captured on camera.
The base also accommodates an undetermined number of Tu-95s.
Analysts suggest that despite the losses incurred by Russia from Operation Spider’s Web, the overall situation on the front lines will remain largely unchanged, as Russia continues to slowly gain ground against Ukraine’s defenses. However, these losses do diminish Russia’s capacity for long-range missile strikes against Ukrainian cities.
Moreover, they convey the message that no area within Russia is entirely secure.
On Sunday, Katarzyna Zysk, an international relations professor at the Norwegian Defense Academy, told The Moscow Times, “Psychologically and symbolically, the successful targeting of such high-value assets clearly demonstrates Ukraine’s capability to impose costs on Russia. Striking deep within Russian territory undermines the perception of Russia’s military invulnerability and the Kremlin’s control.”
“Over the past 15 years, Russia has tried to develop a new generation of strategic bombers, but these initiatives have faced continuous delays. Consequently, Moscow has had to focus on modernizing its existing fleet, which has now been significantly weakened by Ukraine’s effective strikes,” she added.
