Footage revealed the moment Ukraine was able to pull off its bold Operation 'Spider's Web' attack against key Russian military targets, sparking concerns about a catastrophic response from the Kremlin.
On Sunday (1 June) Ukrainian leader President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that his country had successfully conducted a drone attack targeting 'only military objectives' which hit various military bases across the Eurasian country.
"A brilliant operation was carried out — on enemy territory, targeting only military objectives, specifically the equipment used to strike Ukraine," Zelenskyy wrote on X, confirming that Ukraine was behind the attack.
"Russia suffered significant losses — entirely justified and deserved."
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The attack - which has been described as the biggest military setback for Russia since the start of the war - has caused major loses to several of the Kremlin's air bases, prompting concerns about a major retaliation.
Watch footage shared from the attacks and its aftermath below:
What was Ukraine's top secret 'Spider's Web attack' on Russia?
Executed on Sunday, Operation 'Spider's Web' involved 117 drones being activated inside Russia near the airbases of regions of Murmansk, Irkutsk, Ivanovo, Ryazan and Amur. The locations included bases in the Arctic Circle, near Moscow and in Siberia, with the furthest target being thousands of miles away from the Ukrainian border.
The drones were operated remotely by the Ukrainian military and targeted various Russian warplanes, including 34% of Russia's strategic cruise missile carriers, were hit, with Ukrainian officials claiming that 41 aircraft had been destroyed (via PBS).
Ukraine's Head of the Security Service (SBU), Vasyl Malyuk, has since stated the attack was 'absolutely legitimate' military targets 'according to the laws and customs of war'.
It's believed the attack caused $7 billion (£5.1 billion) in damage to Russian military equipment.
How did Ukraine pull Operation 'Spider's Web' off?
According to President Zelensky,y the attack was the result of 18 months' worth of planning and involved hundreds of drones into Russia in containers. These containers, which had been disguised as sheds, were then loaded onto trucks and driven close to the respective airbases.
Once in place, the containers were activated remotely and allowed personnel in Ukraine to operate the front-person view (FPV) drones from within Ukraine.
Zelenskyy added that he'd personally overseen the attack and that all Ukrainian personnel operating inside Russia, which included an office 'directly next to FSB headquarters in one of their regions', had since been safely evacuated.
"Not for a single second did we want this war. We offered the Russians a ceasefire," Zelenskyy added in his statement. "It was the Russians who chose to continue the war – even under conditions where the entire world is calling for an end to the killing.
"We continue to propose a full and unconditional ceasefire, along with all rational and dignified steps that could lead to a lasting and reliable peace."
How has Russia responded?
The attack was followed by major drone assaults on Ukraine by Vladimir Putin's forces, with three people confirmed to have been killed in the city of Sumy, one casualty in northeastern Kharkiv.
Further strikes were also reported in the cities of Odessa and Chernihiv (via The Telegraph).
Operation Spider's Web occurred just before Ukrainian and Russian officials met in Turkey to discuss terms a ceasefire and ending the war.
Neither side was able to reach an agreement, however each side has agreed to a prisoner swap (via Al Jazeera).
What is the world's reaction as people fear 'something big is about to happen'?
Russia's lack of major response has caused concerns amongst many, leading people to wonder if the absence of a major Russian retaliation is the 'calm before the storm' of a major attack.
Operation 'Spider's Web' has unsurprisingly received a poor reception from key Russian propagandists, with Kremlin attack dog Vladimir Solovyov saying the attack was 'grounds for a nuclear attack' (via Kyiv Independent).
Meanwhile, the Ukrainian offensive has since received praise from nations such as Denmark and Sweden, as well as former Prime Minister Boris Johnson and ex-NATO commander James Stavridis. Meanwhile the White House confirmed to Fox News that Donald Trump was 'not informed' about the attack.
Topics: Russia, Ukraine, Vladimir Putin, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, World News
Brenna Cooper