Russia has claimed that Ukraine carried out its massive Spiderweb drone operation targeting strategic aviation deep in Russia with the UK’s help in summer.
Alexander Bortnikov, the head of Russian Federal Security Service, FSB, said on Thursday that the Spiderweb operation that was launched on June 1, was carried out with “direct supervision of the British intelligence”. Speaking at a meeting of security and intelligence chiefs in Uzbekistan, Bortnikov also said the UK provided Kyiv with “propaganda support,” by allegedly spreading disinformation and behing involved in “a hoax about huge losses” among Russian forces.
Codenamed Spider web, the coordinated operation by Ukraine’s SBU Security Service had destroyed 41 Russian aircraft, including strategic bombers stationed in four airfields deep in Russian in June and marked the largest Ukrainian operation in Russian territory. The SBU denied Bortnikov’s claims of UK involvement, and described his accusations as “an attempt by the enemy to justify its own failure to the domestic audience.” “Thanks to the SBU employees and their work, the myth of the omnipotence of the FSB crumbled before our eyes and burned down along with the Russian strategic aviation aircraft,” the SBU press service noted.
SBU said over 100 drones launched from inside Russia were used in the attack, which destroyed or damaged dozens of aircraft, including long-range bombers used in missile strikes on Ukraine. About 34% of Russia’s cruise missile–carrying bombers based in core airfields were reportedly struck in the attack that cost Russia over US$7 billion in damages to aviation assets.
Among the destroyed Russian aircraft are as Tu-95, Tu-22M3, Tu-160, and also an A-50 early warning aircraft stationed in the Dyabilevo, Ivanovo, Olenya and Belaya airfields. The preparation for the attack took Preparation reportedly took about 18 months and involved smuggling UAVs to the Russian territory, their position on the back of trucks and their remote launch at Russian targets.
