Zelenskyy on Spider’s Web Operation: Base in Russia Was Near FSS HQ

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky, in his address, shared key details of the Spider’s Web Operation and revealed that the operation’s “office” on Russian territory was located near the headquarters of the Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation (FSS).

As a result, the head of state reported the destruction of 34% of the carriers of strategic cruise missiles at their home airfields.

To achieve this, the Security Service of Ukraine deployed 117 strike drones.

The operation took 1 year, 6 months, and 9 days from the beginning of planning to its execution. This means it started on November 23, 2023. In his address on that day, the President said:

“Our special services, primarily the Security Service of Ukraine, as well as the Cabinet of Ministers and the National Security and Defense Council, will continue the relevant work. There will be other sanction decisions as well.”

On November 23, 2023, Ukraine imposed sanctions on more than 300 legal entities and nearly 150 individuals from the terrorist state.

As previously reported, Ukrainian FPV kamikaze drones targeted Russian strategic aviation at its bases—Olenya Airbase in the Murmansk region and Belaya Airbase in the Irkutsk region. Online, this day has been dubbed a new Tsushima for Russian aviation.

Objective control data from drone cameras and video from a Russian serviceman show that at least six Russian aircraft were hit. The total number destroyed will become known later.

“The most interesting part—and this can already be stated publicly—is that the ‘office’ of our operation on Russian territory was located directly next to an FSS office in one of their regions,” Zelensky said.

Russian bloggers claim that, based on footage showing the assembly of containers from which the strike drones were launched, they were able to determine the geolocation: the city of Chelyabinsk, Sverdlovsky Trakt Street, 28a.

According to the listing, the rent costs RUB 350,000 (less than $5,000) monthly.

“Our people operated across various Russian regions—in three time zones. And before the operation, our people were withdrawn from Russian territory; those who assisted us are now safe,” Volodymyr Zelenskyy concluded regarding the results of the operation.