On June 1, 2025, the Security Service of Ukraine (SSU) conducted a special operation called “The Web” in Russia. During this operation, dozens of FPV drones were used to strike the airfields of Russian strategic aviation, which is part of the nuclear triad.
Ukrainian sources call this operation unique and unparalleled in the world. According to preliminary information, at least 41 aircraft were damaged. The SSU used FPV drones with artificial intelligence focused on the specific contours of aircraft such as Tu-22M3, Tu-95MS, and Tu-160, which ensured high efficiency of the strikes.
While Russia carried out the largest-scale attack on Ukraine with Shahed-136 kamikaze drones on the night of June 1, the SSU retaliated by targeting military targets rather than civilian ones, choosing to target Russian strategic aircraft that are not manufactured in Russia and are therefore irreparable.
Tu-95MS
- The main tool for launching X-101/555/555 missiles.
- They are not produced in Russia, which makes them irreparable.
- Prior to the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the Russian VKS had 64 Tu-95s of the MS/MSM modifications in service, but not all of them were combat-ready.
- By the beginning of 2025, no more than a squadron of Tu-95MS could perform combat missions due to critical wear and tear.
- The approximate cost of one aircraft is estimated at $100 million, but due to its uniqueness, the price triples.
- The main airfields are: Engels (Saratov region), Ukrainka (Amur region), Dyagilev (Ryazan region).
Tu-22
- Before the start of the full-scale invasion, the Russian VKS had 62 Tu-22 aircraft of the M3/M3M/MR modifications, of which only 27 were in operational condition.
- They are carriers of X-22/32 missiles.
- The Russian military-industrial complex cannot produce these aircraft from scratch, but only imitates production by adding to existing Soviet developments. Any loss is irreparable.
- Main locations: Dyagilevo (Ryazan region), Belaya (Irkutsk region), Olenegorsk (Murmansk region), Shaikovka (Kaluga region).
Tu-160
- At the time of the full-scale invasion, the Russian VKS had 16 Tu-160s of the M/M2 modification in service.
- The main place of basing: Engels (Saratov region).
- Production at the Gorbunov Aviation Plant in Kazan has resumed, but assembly is carried out mainly using Soviet designs.
- The use of Tu-160s to launch the X-101 (which is usually done by cheaper Tu-95MS) indicates a shortage of X-101 carriers.
А-50
- Long-range radar detection and control aircraft.
- There is no production in Russia, and the A-100 project was closed due to technical problems.
- At the time of the full-scale invasion, the Russian Air Forces had 9 A-50 aircraft, but some of them needed repair or modernization.
- Earlier, one A-50 was damaged in Belarus, two were shot down (on January 14 and February 23, 2024), and the damaged one in Belarus was finished off by Ukrainian drones.
- According to the available information, another A-50 was destroyed/damaged during the SBU’s Operation Pavetina. If this is confirmed, it will mean a complete failure of Russia’s UAVs.
Conclusions
Operation “The Web” will be discussed for a long time, and the verification of losses will continue. June 1, 2025 is called a “black day” for Russian strategic aviation, emphasizing the significant and irreparable losses.
