Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) has reportedly carried out a coordinated drone assault on four Russian airbases, claiming the destruction of more than 40 military aircraft, including strategic bombers and surveillance aircraft.
The operation, codenamed “Pautyna” (“Web”), targeted the following airbases:
Belaya Airbase (Irkutsk Oblast), approximately 4,200 kilometers east of Ukraine.
Olenya Airbase (Murmansk Oblast), approximately 2,000 kilometers north of Ukraine.
Dyagilevo Airbase (Ryazan Oblast), approximately 700 kilometers northeast of Ukraine.
Ivanovo Severny Airbase (Ivanovo Oblast), approximately 944 kilometers northeast of Ukraine.
According to sources within the SBU cited by Ukrinform, the strikes resulted in the destruction of various aircraft, including Tu-95 and Tu-22M3 strategic bombers, as well as an A-50 airborne early warning and control aircraft.
Kamikaze drones launched from vehicles inside Russia
The operation employed first-person view (FPV) kamikaze drones launched from concealed positions within Russian territory. Reports indicate that drones were deployed from vehicles, such as trucks or vans, parked near the targeted airfields. In Irkutsk, local authorities confirmed a drone attack on a military unit in the village of Sredny, attributing the source to a truck.
Visual evidence circulating on social media shows multiple aircraft engulfed in flames at the affected airbases. Footage from Olenya Airbase depicts burning Tu-95 bombers, while videos from Belaya Airbase reveal significant fires and explosions on the flight line.
First drone strike to reach Irkutsk Oblast
This marks the first time that drones have targeted Irkutsk Oblast since the onset of the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine. The strategic significance of these airbases lies in their role in housing aircraft used for long-range missile strikes against Ukrainian cities.
While Ukrainian attacks have previously targeted them, this appears to be the most extensive operation to date, with early footage suggesting a level of success not seen in prior strikes, though the full extent of the damage has yet to be independently verified.
Russian officials have acknowledged drone attacks in the Murmansk and Irkutsk regions but have not provided detailed assessments of the damage incurred. The Kremlin has yet to issue an official statement regarding the incident.
The timing of the operation coincides with scheduled peace talks between Ukraine and Russia in Istanbul. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed that a delegation, led by Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, will attend the negotiations on June 2, 2025.
