Ukraine's biggest drone attack on Russia so far: 5 airbases targeted, more than 40 planes destroyed, 'Pearl Harbor'-like blow for Putin

Moscow/Kiev: Ukraine on Sunday, June 1, carried out the biggest drone attack ever on five Russian military airbases in the Russia-Ukraine war, claiming to have destroyed more than 40 Russian fighter and strategic bomber aircraft. The Russian Defense Ministry confirmed the attack, calling it a "terrorist attack", but did not disclose the exact number of aircraft destroyed. Experts are calling this attack a "modern Pearl Harbor", which has exposed the weaknesses of Russia's air defense system. 

Details and strategy of the attack

The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) named the operation “Spiderweb,” planning for which began a year and a half ago and was personally monitored by President Volodymyr Zelensky. According to Ukrainian media, such as The Kyiv Independent, the attack used 117 FPV (First Person View) drones that were smuggled into Russian territory hidden in trucks with remote-controlled roofs, allowing the drones to carry out precision strikes.

The targets of the attack were military airports in Russia’s Murmansk (Olenya Airbase), Irkutsk (Belaya Airbase), Ivanovo, Ryazan (Dyagilev), and Amur regions. Of these, Belaya Airbase, which is 4,000 km from Ukraine, is home to nuclear-capable Tu-95 and Tu-22M3 bombers. Ukrainian sources claimed that at least one A-50 early warning aircraft was also destroyed, which is worth billions of dollars.

The Russian Defense Ministry said that the attacks were thwarted in the Ivanovo, Ryazan, and Amur regions, but several planes caught fire in Murmansk and Irkutsk. Igor Kobzev, the governor of Irkutsk, confirmed that this was the first Ukrainian drone attack in the region. Images of burning planes at Olenya and Belaya airbases were seen in viral videos on social media.

Ukraine's claim and Russia's response

Ukraine claimed that the attack destroyed 34% of Russian strategic cruise missile carriers, which were used to bomb Ukrainian cities. An SBU official said, "We have weakened Russia's long-range strike capability." The cost of the Ukrainian drone was a few hundred dollars, while the value of the destroyed planes was estimated to be more than $2 billion.

Russia retaliated the same day with its biggest attack on Ukraine so far with 472 drones and 7 missiles, killing 12 soldiers and injuring 60 at a Ukrainian training center. After this attack, senior Ukrainian army commander Mikhailo Drapatyi resigned. Russia described these attacks as a response to "Ukraine's terrorist policy".

Background and geopolitical impact of the attack

The attack came just before the proposed peace talks in Istanbul, which further complicated the Russia-Ukraine war. Ukraine claims that it targeted Russian planes, which regularly fired missiles and bombs on Ukrainian cities. Experts believe that this attack reflects the failure of Russia's air defense system, as Russia failed to prevent such a large-scale drone attack.

A user on X wrote, "Ukraine attacked hundreds of kilometers inside Russia. This is a difficult time for global peace." Many analysts compared it to "Pearl Harbor", as it was unexpected and devastating for Russia.

Russia's weakness and Ukraine's strategy

Ukraine has made tremendous progress in drone technology in recent months. In 2024, Ukraine carried out several drone attacks on Russian oil depots, weapons depots, and military bases. The attack on the weapons depot in the Tver region in September 2024 and the 34 drone attacks on Moscow in November 2024 are examples of this. This time the attack is a setback for Russia because it was the first time that Ukrainian drones reached 4,000 km inside.

Russia, on its part, has started using fiber optic drone technology, which is safe from jamming. In May 2025, Russia attacked the Ukrainian city of Rodinske with 250 kg bombs, causing massive destruction. But this attack by Ukraine shows that it is capable of responding to Russia on its own soil.

Conclusion

This drone attack by Ukraine is a major military and psychological blow to Russia. The loss of more than 40 aircraft and the attack on five airbases can weaken Russia's air power. However, Russia's retaliation has made the war more frightening. This attack is not only a part of military strategy, but will also affect the global power balance and peace talks. Will this war become more fierce now, or will both sides take steps towards peace? This question remains the center of discussion on the global stage.