Ukraine releases new Spiderweb Op footage of AI drone strike, claims damage to $7 billion in Russian aircraft

Ukrainian security services have released new video footage showing the bold “Spiderweb” operation, a series of drone strikes aimed at Russian military airfields far inside Russia. The footage demonstrates the use of drones controlled by artificial intelligence in what Ukrainian officials say was a highly effective attack causing major damage to Russia’s air force. President Donald Trump privately praised the operation, describing it as both ‘strong’ and ‘badass.’

The SBU, Ukraine’s primary counterintelligence agency, explained that the operation used “modern drone control technology, which mixes self-operating artificial intelligence systems with manual control by human operators.” While flying, the drones relied on AI to guide them to pre-set targets if they lost communication signals, automatically detonating their explosives upon hitting their targets.

The video shows Ukrainian drones successfully damaging engines, antennas, wings, and other key parts of various Russian aircraft at four different airfields located thousands of kilometers inside Russia. According to Politico, the SBU specifically named the damaged aircraft as A-50, Tu-95, Tu-22, Tu-160, An-12, and Il-78 planes.

Ukraine’s airstrike was more devastating than first thought

Independent experts and journalists, checking Ukrainian claims with satellite images, have confirmed that at least 11 strategic bombers were destroyed. The SBU calculates that the total cost of the damage to Russia’s air force exceeds $7 billion. According to the SBU, these airfields are often used by Russia to fire ballistic and cruise missiles at Ukrainian cities.

Successfully hitting these targets deals a major blow to Russia’s military strength and its ability to carry out long-range attacks inside Ukraine. The operation has received mixed reactions from both sides. The Russian Ministry of Defense played down the scale of the damage, saying only two locations, in the Irkutsk and Murmansk regions, had bombers damaged.

They also claimed that attacks on airfields in Ivanovo, Ryazan, and Amur regions were stopped, with no military or civilian casualties reported. Russian officials are treating the incident as a terrorist act and are investigating. On the other hand, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy praised the operation, saying at a press conference that the “Spiderweb” strikes destroyed 41 Russian aircraft, half of which cannot be fixed, while the rest will need years of repairs if they can ever be fully restored.

He stressed that these were valid military targets and that such operations were necessary to counter Russian aggression. Zelenskyy also connected the operation to ongoing ceasefire talks, saying the attacks would not have happened had Moscow accepted Ukraine’s earlier unconditional ceasefire proposal. He stated, “wanting a ceasefire doesn’t mean we do nothing in the meantime.”

The daring nature of the “Spiderweb” operation has attracted global attention. While some applaud Ukraine for its creative use of technology and for changing modern warfare tactics, others have raised concerns. U.S. Special Envoy on Ukraine Keith Kellogg expressed worry about the strategic risks of such attacks, saying that striking an opponent’s nuclear-capable forces could lead to unpredictable escalation. He pointed out the uncertainty of Russia’s reaction and the possibility of increased tensions because of such bold moves.