Vasyl Maliuk, Head of the Security Service of Ukraine, has summed up the results of Operation Pavutyna (Spider’s Web), which resulted in the destruction of strategic aircraft at four Russian airfields.

Source : press service for the Security Service of Ukraine

Quote : "In total, 34% of strategic cruise missile carriers at the main Russian airfields were destroyed. This was not just a devastating blow to enemy aircraft but a serious slap in the face to the power and terrorist nature of the Russian Federation."

Details : The Security Service of Ukraine officially stated that 41 Russian strategic aircraft were destroyed in the drone strikes, including A-50, Tu-95, Tu-22 M3 and Tu-160. The estimated cost of the strategic aircraft destroyed is over US$7 billion.

Maliuk said that President Volodymyr Zelenskyy set the task of destroying Russian bombers, and Maliuk himself led the working group that prepared the special operation for over a year and a half.

He said the special operation took place simultaneously in three time zones and was extremely complex logistically. As a result, the drones targeted four Russian military airfields at once: Belaya, Dyagilevo, Olenya and Ivanovo. Due to the plan, the largest number of Russian jets were destroyed simultaneously.

First, the Security Service of Ukraine transported FPV drones to Russia, followed by mobile wooden houses. Once in Russia, the drones were hidden under the roofs of the houses, which were placed on lorries. At the right moment, the roofs of the houses were remotely opened, and the drones flew off to strike their targets – Russian bombers.

"In accordance with the laws and customs of war, we have targeted completely legitimate facilities – military airfields and aircraft that are bombing our peaceful cities. So, on our part, there is a real demilitarisation of the Russian Federation because we are destroying military targets. And our strikes will continue for as long as the Russian Federation terrorises Ukrainians with missiles and Shahed attack drones," Maliuk said.

Background :

• On 1 June, a series of strikes against Russian aircraft took place at at least four airfields in Russia. According to Ukrainska Pravda sources, this was a special operation by the Security Service of Ukraine, which resulted in the destruction of about 40 aircraft, including strategic bombers.
• The Russian Ministry of Defence confirmed the attack using FPV drones on military airfields in five regions, blaming the so-called Kyiv regime for the attack.
• According to Axios, the United States was not informed about Ukraine's military operation to destroy dozens of Russian aircraft.
• President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called the operation to destroy more than 40 strategic aircraft at Russian airfields a brilliant result that will go down in history books.
• Later, the first satellite images appeared online, allowing for a better assessment of Russian losses at the Belaya airbase in Irkutsk Oblast. GEOINT consultant Chris Biggers published the photos.

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