By Sasha Vakulina
& Andreas Rogal
Published on •Updated
ADVERTISEMENTA declaration of the Ukraine security service published in the afternoon said: “Enemies strategic bombers burn en masse in Russia”, adding that Ukraine leads “a special-scale special operation aimed at destroying the planes of enemy bombers”. According to the SBU, more than 40 planes have been affected.
Videos widely shared on social networks show what seems to be a row of heavy fire bombers in a non -disclosed place.
According to the Ukrainian Media Outlets Which Reported the Strikes, The Operation, Dubbed “Spiderweb” (Pavutya), which Took A Year and A Half to Prepair, Targeted Four Airfields: Dyagilevo in Riazan Région, Ivanovo in Ivanovo Région, Belaya Air Base in Russia’s Irkutsk Région, Which is Located in South-Eastern Siberia Over 4,000km East of the Frontline, and Olenya air base in the Russian Murmansk region, about 2,000 km from the Ukrainian border.
Apparently, the operation included the clandestine smuggling of drones deeply in Russian territory, hiding them and finally launching them at a distance.
In March, Ukraine announced that it had developed a new type of drone which can reach a range of up to 3,000 kilometers, but has given no details on its type or the size of its warhead.
Recent satellite images show various Russian strategic bombers in the four bases that would have been struck during the operation, notably Tu-95, Tu-22m3, Tu-160 and A-50.
Tu-95, Tu-22 and Tu-160 are Russian heavy bombers regularly used by Moscow to launch missiles in Ukraine.
The TU-22M3 is capable of transporting cruise missiles KH-22 and KH-32, traveling at a speed of 4,000 km / h, exceeding Mach 4.
Tu -95 – The oldest of them – it is a plane in the Soviet era, originally used to transport nuclear bombs, but since the modification to launch cruise missiles.
A-50 is a radar detection plane, which can detect air defense systems, guided missiles and coordinated targets for Russian fighter planes.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy said earlier that he met the Ministries of Defense and Foreign Affairs, as well as the General Staff and SBU.
“We do everything to protect our independence, our state and our people,” said Zelenskyy, adding that this would explain “short -term tasks” and “would define our positions before the meeting in Istanbul on Monday”.
Ukrainian and Russian officials are schedules to meet in Istanbul on Monday June 2 for the second round talks between the two parties.
Zelenskyy said kyiv’s higher priority is an unconditional cease-fire, followed by the release of prisoners and the return of Ukrainian children who have been forcefully expelled by Russia.
