YouTube link to Redacted report here. This video was posted on 6/1/25.

Euronews, 6/1/25

An operation by Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) on Sunday hit 41 miltary aircraft, among them various types of strategic bombers that were lined up at four airfields inside Russia.

“Enemy strategic bombers are burning en masse in Russia,” an official with the SBU said, adding that Ukraine was conducting “a large scale special operation aimed at destroying enemy bomber aircraft.”

The operation, dubbed Spiderweb (“Pavutyna”), targeted four airfields: Dyagilevo in Riazan region, Ivanovo in Ivanovo region, Belaya air base in Russia’s Irkutsk region, which is located in south-eastern Siberia over 4,000km east of the frontline, and Olenya air base in Russia’s Murmansk region, some 2,000km away from Ukraine’s border.

It included the clandestine smuggling of drones deep into Russian territory, hiding them and finally launching them remotely.

Russia’s Defence Ministry confirmed the attacks in a statement, as did the governors of Murmansk and Irkutsk. Murmansk Governor Andrei Chibis said “security measures have been strengthened.”

In March, Ukraine announced it had developed a new type of drone that can reach a range of up to 3,000 kilometres, but gave no details about its type or the size of its warhead.

Recent satellite images show various Russian strategic bombers at the four bases that were allegedly hit during the operation, including Tu-95, Tu-22M3, Tu-160 and A-50.

Tu-95, Tu-22 and Tu-160 are Russian heavy bombers regularly used by Moscow to launch missiles at Ukraine.

The Tu-22M3 is capable of carrying Kh-22 and Kh-32 cruise missiles, travelling at a speed of 4,000 km/h, exceeding Mach 4. 

Tu-95 — the oldest among them — is a Soviet-era plane, originally used to carry nuclear bombs but since modified to launch cruise missiles. 

A-50 is a radar detection aircraft, which can detect air defence systems, guided missiles, and coordinate targets for Russian fighter jets.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Sunday that he was meeting with the Ministries of Defence and Foreign Affairs, as well as the General Staff and the SBU.

“We are doing everything to protect our independence, our state and our people,” Zelenskyy said.

He would be outlining “tasks for the near term” and will “define our positions ahead of the meeting in Istanbul on Monday,” Zelenskyy added.

Ukrainian and Russian officials are scheduled to meet in Istanbul on Monday for the second round of talks between the two sides.

Zelenskyy said Kyiv’s utmost priority is an unconditional ceasefire, followed by the release of prisoners and the return of Ukrainian children who Russia forcefully deported. 

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Zelensky salutes drone attack on Russia: ‘Absolutely brilliant result’

The Hill, 6/1/25

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Sunday touted the “absolutely brilliant result” of a large-scale drone attack on Russian strategic bombers.

“Head of the Security Service of Ukraine Vasyl Maliuk delivered a report regarding today’s operation. An absolutely brilliant result,” Zelensky said in an afternoon post on the social platform X.

“A result achieved solely by Ukraine. One year, six months, and nine days from the start of planning to effective execution. Our most long-range operation,” he continued.

A military official told The Associated Press that the drones hit 41 planes stationed at military airfields on Sunday afternoon, including A-50, Tu-95 and Tu-22M aircraft….

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Lavrov and Rubio discuss Ukrainian attacks on Russia

RT, 6/1/25

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov spoke with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on the phone on Sunday. The two sides discussed the upcoming Moscow-Kiev talks in Istanbul and recent Ukrainian attacks on Russian territory.

Just a day before the talks scheduled in Türkiye, two bridges collapsed in Russia’s Bryansk and Kursk border regions, leading to at least seven deaths and dozens of injuries. The incidents were caused by sabotage, according to Russia’s Investigative Committee.

Later that same day, drones targeted military airfields in Murmansk Region in the country’s north, Ivanovo and Ryazan regions in western Russia, Irkutsk Region in Siberia, and Amur Region in the Far East.

According to the Russian Foreign Ministry, Rubio “expressed sincere condolences on the civilian casualties resulting from the bombings of railway infrastructure in the Bryansk and Kursk regions on June 1.”

Lavrov said the attacks would be thoroughly investigated and “the results will be published in the very near future.”

“The guilty parties will be identified and will inevitably face deserved punishment.” 

Lavrov and Rubio also “exchanged views on various initiatives concerning the political resolution of the Ukrainian crisis,” including the upcoming Russia-Ukraine negotiations in Istanbul scheduled for June 2.

In response to the Ukrainian raids, Russia launched several retaliatory strikes targeting Ukraine’s defense industry facilities, as well as military assembly points and warehouses. According to the Russian Defense Ministry, most of the strikes were successfully repelled, with some resulting in material damage. 

Ukrainian media claims that the strikes were part of what they called a “historic” operation codenamed Spiderweb. According to the reports, the strikes were prepared for more a year and a half and targeted Russia’s “strategic aviation.”