Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed that Russian truck drivers who unknowingly transported Ukrainian drones into Russia had no knowledge of their cargo’s true purpose during the large-scale attack on Russian military airfields.

Operation Spiderweb, carried out by Ukraine’s Security Service, was a large-scale surprise Ukrainian drone strike on five Russian airbases that involved 117 drones covertly smuggled into Russia and launched from hidden compartments in trucks. The attack destroyed or damaged over 40 strategic bombers, amounting to about $7 bn in losses and about one-third of Russia’s long-range strike fleet used for attacks on Ukraine.

“They didn’t know anything. They just did their job,” Zelenskyy told ABC News correspondent Martha Raddatz in an exclusive interview airing on This Week with George Stephanopoulos.

The drivers transported what they believed were mobile cottages and other containers, unaware that the structures contained drones equipped to assault Russian airfields and damage military hardware worth billions of dollars.

Zelenskyy emphasized that Ukrainian Security Service used exclusively domestic weapons for the operation.

“I wanted very much to use only what we produce and to have the separation [be] very clear,” the Ukrainian president said.

Operation web details

On 1 June, Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) conducted Operation Web, targeting Russian military airfields at Olenya, Belaya, Dyagilevo, and Ivanovo with drone strikes. The operation targeted Russian aircraft including A-50 early warning planes, Tu-95 strategic bombers, and Tu-22M3 supersonic bombers.

The operation reportedly damaged 41 Russian aircraft, representing 34% of Russia’s strategic cruise missile carriers stationed at their home bases.

The operation required over 18 months of preparation, according to SBU sources. Ukrainian intelligence first smuggled FPV drones into Russia, followed by mobile wooden houses. The drones were later concealed under the roofs of these structures, which were opened remotely at the start of the operation to launch the aircraft.

Aftermath and investigation

All individuals who assisted in organizing the operation have been reportedly evacuated from Russia. However, Russian authorities have issued a warrant for 37-year-old Ukrainian-born Artem Timofeev, allegedly the owner of the trucks used to transport the drones.

The Russian Telegram channel Baza, linked to Russian law enforcement, reported interrogations of truck drivers who launched drones during the SBU’s large-scale attack on Russian airfields. The drivers reportedly believed they were transporting prefabricated houses and identified the truck owner as a man named Artem.

Zelenskyy confirmed that Ukrainian secret services extracted all operation participants from Russian territory following the successful mission.

Ukrainian drones attacked a drone development facility in Dubna, a city in the Moscow Oblast, according to Russian Telegram channels Astra and Baza citing local residents.

Social media videos show drones flying over Dubna and explosions with fires after impact. Local residents in the footage say “Kronshtadt got hit again.”

Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin posted 17 messages about drone attacks since the start of the day. He said air defenses destroyed at least 31 drones heading toward the Russian capital.

Sobyanin also reported repelling drone attacks on Zelenograd. The official said that both Moscow and Zelenograd had “no serious damage or casualties” and that “emergency services specialists are working at the debris impact sites.”

Dubna is known as a “science city.” The city sits 121 kilometers north of Moscow in the Moscow Oblast.

Russia’s Defense Ministry later claimed that from 9 pm on 27 May to 7 am on 28 May, air defenses allegedly destroyed and intercepted 296 Ukrainian drones over Moscow region and 12 other Russian oblasts including Bryansk, Belgorod, Vladimir, Voronezh, Ivanovo, Kaluga, Kursk, Orel, Ryazan, Smolensk, Tver and Tula.

The Russian defense ministry reported neither the total number of drones allegedly flying toward Russian territory nor the consequences of attacks.

Earlier, Moscow’s mayor announced drone attacks on Russia’s capital. Moscow and other Russian airports suspended operations during the incident.

The Russian Defense Ministry previously claimed that on the evening of 27 May, from 9 pm to midnight Moscow time, their air defenses allegedly intercepted and destroyed 112 Ukrainian drones.

Ukraine has been conducting an air campaign against Russian strategic targets such as ammunition depots, command centers, military factories, oil processing and storage facilities, but rarely comments of the attacks.