The secret mission was named 'Spider Web' and took a year and a half of preparation
The Olenya air base in Murmansk province, Diaghilev in Ryazan region, and Ivanovo in the province of the same name were also targeted. "Currently, it is known that more than 40 aircraft were hit, including the A-50, Tu-95, and Tu-22 M3," they added.
Although the extent of the damage has not yet been precisely determined, videos shared on social media show what appear to be several Russian bombers engulfed in flames at one of the targeted bases.
A military operation carried out by the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), which used FPV drones secretly brought into Russian territory and hidden inside trucks, managed to destroy 41 Russian long-range bombers at four air bases across the country, according to the agency.
The mission, called "Spider Web" and which took a year and a half of preparation, reportedly caused significant damage to the aircraft that Russia uses to carry out long-range missile attacks against Ukrainian cities.
"The SBU first transported FPV drones to Russia, and then, on the territory of the Russian Federation, the drones were hidden under the roofs of mobile wooden cabins, already placed on trucks," SBU officials stated.
At the right moment, the roofs were remotely opened and the drones took off to attack the Russian bombers. If the number of bombers destroyed is confirmed, it would be the largest attack on Russia's Air Force since the beginning of the war.
Ukrainian sources indicated that one of the airfields hit was the Belaya air base, located in Russia's Irkutsk region, more than 4,000 kilometers (2,485 miles) from Ukrainian territory.
Additionally, videos recorded by civilians circulated showing FPV drones being launched from trucks parked near the air bases.
The governor of Irkutsk, Igor Kobzev, later confirmed that "a drone attack on a military unit in the village of Sredny" had occurred and stated that the "truck" was identified as the origin of the attack.
Meanwhile, the governor of Murmansk, Andrey Chibis, acknowledged that "enemy drones attacked the territory of Murmansk region," although he did not provide further details.
SBU officials also stated that those responsible for carrying out the military operation "have been in Ukraine for a long time." "Therefore, if Putin's regime ostentatiously detains someone, it will be another show staged for the local public," they concluded.
