By simultaneously hitting four Russian air bases on Sunday, June 1 – including one deep in Siberia – the Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) demonstrated its ability to strike far into Russian territory. The damage inflicted on the Russian air force by the covert operation, dubbed "Spider Web," reflected an unexpected level of operational planning.

According to the SBU, 41 Russian aircraft – including Tu-95 and Tu-22M3 strategic bombers, which are no longer manufactured, as well as an A-50 command aircraft – were destroyed or damaged on the ground. The toll would be unprecedented in Russian military aviation history. Moscow did not confirm the number, only acknowledging the attack without providing details. Satellite imagery in the coming days will allow for a more precise assessment of the damage.

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