On June 4, 2025, high-resolution satellite images showed significant damage to Russia’s Belaya and Olenya air bases following Ukraine’s daring Operation Spider Web drone attack on June 1. This drone strike targeted five air bases deep within Russian territory, destroying at least 10 strategic bombers, with Ukraine claiming that up to 41 aircraft were hit.
On June 4, satellite images from Belaya Air Base in Siberia’s Irkutsk Oblast, located 4,300 km from Ukraine, revealed the destruction of two Tupolev Tu-95 bombers reduced to ashes and four Tu-22M3 supersonic bombers, with debris scattered over a distance of 100 meters, according to CBS News.
1/ High resolution satellite imagery captured by @Planet and @AirbusDefence shows the aftermath of Ukraine’s strike on the Belaya airbase, situated over 4000 km from Ukraine. pic.twitter.com/h2nLq6SIQX
— Open Source Centre (@osc_london) June 4, 2025Cleanup efforts complicated exact counts, according to Euromaidan Press. At Olenya Air Base in Murmansk, 2,000 km from Ukraine, images confirmed multiple aircraft, likely Tu-95s, had been destroyed, with drone footage showing billowing smoke, according to BBC News.
Operation Spider Web’s Strategy
Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) carried out a strike using 117 first-person view (FPV) drones that were launched from trucks with remotely opened container roofs. These drones had been smuggled into Russia over 18 months. The attack targeted several air bases spanning five time zones, including those in Belaya, Olenya, Ivanovo Severny, Dyagilevo, and Ukrainka. The drones, guided through Russian mobile networks without satellite navigation, accurately struck fuel tanks, resulting in massive fireballs.
Absolutely insane high-resolution satellite imagery of the impact of the Ukrainian drone strikes on Russian bases. This is Belaya airbase – 2 Tu-95s appear destroyed. The white marking appears to be a decoy. 📸: @Maxar pic.twitter.com/rzdsVUbCRi
— Vishnu Som (@VishnuNDTV) June 4, 2025Damage to the Russian air base has temporarily limited Russia’s long-range strike capabilities, affecting irreplaceable Tupolev bombers. Russian bloggers have referred to this incident as “Russia’s Pearl Harbour,” highlighting their shock. Following a call with U.S. President Donald Trump, President Vladimir Putin vowed to retaliate, according to a post by Trump on Truth Social, amid strained peace talks in Istanbul.
The Ukraine drone strike on Russia, part of Operation Spider Web, represents a significant escalation in the conflict, highlighting Russia’s vulnerabilities despite its perceived air superiority. Satellite images from Belaya Olenya confirm substantial losses for Russia, which could weaken morale in Moscow and strengthen resolve in Kyiv. With Tupolev bombers destroyed, affecting Russia’s nuclear triad, this strike has reshaped the dynamics of the Russo-Ukrainian conflict, attracting global attention in 2025.
