Ukraine’s Spider Web Attack on Russia on June 1, 2025

The largest drone strike in history was carried out by Ukraine on June 1, 2025, under the codename “Spider Web”. The attack, which had been planned for a year and six months, suddenly took place in five Russian regions: Murmansk, Irkutsk, Ivanovo, Ryazan, and Amur, with some of the targets located 8,000km from Ukraine.
Operation and Tactics
More than 117 drones were used in the attack on Russia, which was carried out in the most secretive and highly professional manner.

The drones were secretly placed inside the Russian airspace, hidden in wooden compartments on trucks, and one of the most remarkable things that happened was that the drivers of the vehicles did not know what they were carrying.

International reports on this amazing attack by the Spider Web, stated that when they reached the intended targets, the drones were released from the roofs of the vehicles and were controlled remotely using satellite or Internet connections.
Targets

Russian air force bases were specifically targeted, these bases were located with aircraft with strategic plans, aircraft that can carry nuclear strikes, and also fly long distances, such as:-

 Tu-95, Tu-160 and Tu-22 – aircraft that carry heavy missiles.
 A-50 – surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft of great value.
Ukrainian reports indicate that at least 13 aircraft were destroyed, including four that were captured on video and satellite imagery.

Consequences and Impact
The Ukrainian government said the operation inside Russia cost $7 billion. It was also reported that the attack hit near offices of the Russian FSB intelligence agency.
Russia has detained suspects, and is searching for a 37-year-old man of Ukrainian origin. The Russian government has made limited and limited comments about the attack, and the media has been completely silent.

The attack has been described as the most sophisticated, large-scale, and spectacular attack ever carried out by Ukraine inside Russia, demonstrating the high level of development that Ukraine has achieved in military technology, especially in the field of unmanned aerial vehicles. It has also been seen as a decline in Russia’s domestic defense capabilities.

Dr. Steve Wright, a British expert on drones, told the BBC that the Ukrainian drones that attacked Russia on June 1 were quadcopters, which are lightweight but carry a much larger payload than their size. Dr. Wright said what made the attack particularly impressive was the ability to infiltrate Russia and the stealthy way they reached the country, controlled from a great distance. He noted that the operation was conducted via satellite or the Internet, which shows the progress Ukraine has made in drone technology.