Security Service Targets Russian Strategic Bombers in Pavutyna Operation

The Security Service of Ukraine (SSU) used FPV drones to strike Russian strategic bombers in a special operation — Pavutyna (Spiderweb).

The operation reportedly took more than 18 months to implement, according to the Livyi Bereh media outlet, citing sources within the Security Service.

Sources report that the operation was logistically complex. The Security Service first transported FPV drones into Russian territory, followed later by mobile wooden structures.

Once on-site, the drones were concealed under the roofs of the structures, which had been mounted on trucks. At the designated time, the roofs were opened remotely, allowing the drones to take off and strike Russian bombers.

Security Service’s sources emphasized that all personnel involved in the operation have been based back in Ukraine for some time.

Videos shared by local residents appear to confirm that the FPV drones took off from trucks parked near the targeted airfields.

The attacks hit Olenya airbase in Russia’s Murmansk region, nearly 1,800 km from the Ukrainian border, and Belaya airbase in the Irkutsk region, more than 4,400 km from the front line.

The drones maintained real-time communication with operators, allowing them to precisely target the fuel tanks of the strategic bombers. The resulting fires are likely to have destroyed the aircraft involved.

According to Suspilne TV, the attack may not have been limited to Olenya and Belaya. Additional strikes were reported at military airfields in Diaghilev (Ryazan region) and Ivanovo (Ivanovo region).

t least four Tu-95 strategic bombers were reportedly destroyed at Olenya airbase.

In February 2023, Belarusian opposition sources reported that a Russian A-50 radar surveillance aircraft was damaged at the Machulishchy airbase.

At the time, the Belarusian BYPOL group said local partisans had used drones to damage the aircraft.