Spiderweb Unraveled: Ukraine’s Ambitious Drone Operation Falls Short of Propaganda Claims

Spiderweb Unraveled: Ukraine's Ambitious Drone Operation Falls Short of Propaganda Claims

Illustrative Image

Kyiv’s much-publicized “Spiderweb” operation, targeting Russian long-range aviation bases, has fallen far short of the spectacular results claimed by Ukrainian officials. While the attack demonstrated Kyiv’s ability to pose threat to strategic facilities deep in the Russian rear regions, newly released satellite imagery reveals that the actual damage was heavy but minimal, contrary to Ukrainian propaganda portraying the operation as a decisive blow to Moscow’s strategic capabilities. LINK, LINK

Ukrainian intelligence services described the attacks as the culmination of an 18-month preparation, deploying drones from disguised civilian trucks to strike five strategic airbases in Olenya, Dyagilevo, Severny, Belaya, and Ukrainka. Initial reports from Kyiv boasted of destroying or damaging over 40 aircraft, including Tu-95 and Tu-22M3 strategic bombers—a claim that, if true, would have represented a significant degradation of Russia’s long-range strike capacity.

Satellite Imagery Tells a Different Story

Recent high-resolution satellite images of the targeted bases, however, paint a far less dramatic picture. At Dyagilevo airbase in Ryazan region, where Ukrainian sources claimed successful strikes, no damage to aircraft or infrastructure is visible. The only notable marks are minor scorch patterns on the ground, likely from intercepted drones. Similarly, imagery from the Ivanovo airbase shows no significant impact, despite Ukrainian assertions of heavy losses. Russian aircraft are seen covered with tyres undamaged.

Spiderweb Unraveled: Ukraine's Ambitious Drone Operation Falls Short of Propaganda Claims

Click to see full-size image

Spiderweb Unraveled: Ukraine's Ambitious Drone Operation Falls Short of Propaganda Claims

Click to see full-size image

Spiderweb Unraveled: Ukraine's Ambitious Drone Operation Falls Short of Propaganda Claims

Click to see full-size image

Spiderweb Unraveled: Ukraine's Ambitious Drone Operation Falls Short of Propaganda Claims

Click to see full-size image

 

The most substantial confirmed damage was confirmed at the Belaya airbase in the Irkutsk region, where up to eight bombers (four Tu-95MS and four Tu-22M3) were reportedly hit. Yet even here, satellite analysis suggests that the worst-case scenario—a mass destruction of Russia’s nuclear-capable fleet—was avoided. Nearby Tu-160 bombers appear untouched, and the full extent of damage remains unclear.

 

 

Spiderweb Unraveled: Ukraine's Ambitious Drone Operation Falls Short of Propaganda Claims

Click to see full-size image

Spiderweb Unraveled: Ukraine's Ambitious Drone Operation Falls Short of Propaganda Claims

Click to see full-size image

Spiderweb Unraveled: Ukraine's Ambitious Drone Operation Falls Short of Propaganda Claims

Click to see full-size image

Western propaganda also shared the low-quality imagery of the Ukrainka airfield in the Amursk region, claiming damage to at least one more Tu-95MS, but this claims are not reliable, since the quality does not confirm them, and the trucks with FPR drones reportedly burnt down before reaching this airbase.

Spiderweb Unraveled: Ukraine's Ambitious Drone Operation Falls Short of Propaganda Claims

Click to see full-size image

Spiderweb Unraveled: Ukraine's Ambitious Drone Operation Falls Short of Propaganda Claims

Click to see full-size image

Spiderweb Unraveled: Ukraine's Ambitious Drone Operation Falls Short of Propaganda Claims

Click to see full-size image

Ukrainian Propaganda and Fabricated Evidence

Kyiv’s narrative has been further undermined by blatant disinformation. Social media channels circulated AI-generated footage purportedly showing destroyed MiG-29 and MiG-31 fighters—a crude fabrication easily debunked by experts but widely shared to create the illusion of Russian vulnerability. Such tactics, increasingly reliant on AI, aim not to convince the experts and military reporters but to manipulate public perception through rapid, emotionally charged dissemination.

 

 

A Tactical Strike, Not a Strategic Victory

While the attacks demonstrated Ukraine’s capacity to penetrate Russian defenses at extreme distances, the actual military impact was marginal. The gap between Kyiv’s claims and verifiable results underscores a broader pattern of exaggeration—a psychological operation designed to sustain Western support rather than deliver decisive battlefield effects. As the war continues, the disparity between Kyiv’s narratives and ground realities grows ever more apparent.

MORE ON THE TOPIC:

Subscribe
Notify of
guest
102 Comments
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
MacZ

think back to the hare and the turtle – slow and steady wins the race. big, flashy moves full of hype won’t win the game. they’re just trying to make you react too strongly so they can twist it against you. they don’t care who dies – even their own civilians. so let’s stay calm and keep chipping away at their strength.

hash
hashed
Imho

wrong. kiev is slowly degrading russian capabilities. on the other hand, nato has not been hit at all and can continue this indefinitely.

face it, russia was stupid to trust the west with the start treaty, demanding that those bombers be left out in the open as easy targets.

MacZ

the one that is attrited is ukraine with millions of people dead, crippled or just gone away. nato can’t do shit because if they intervene it’s nuclear war and being ‘not being hit’ won’t matter a bit.

also the us is leaving because it need to pivot to china and cannot continue to spend military equipement in a lost cause. quite the contrary of ‘continue this indefinitively’. and nato arsenals have being emptied and now they rely on empty threats and terrorism.

Last edited 1 day ago by MacZ
Vanya

nato has been participating from the start, they provide all the weapons, money, satellite data, drone and surveillance plane data etc. moscow likes to pretend to avoid doing what needs doing.

Vanya

instead of acting like they are at war moscow worries about supplying oil and gas to nato, that is the kind of nonsense going on in moscow.

MacZ

yet it is the west that is supposedly having an economic blockade of russia. it just shows who is dependent on who. it is the west that is quite stupid by giving russia the means to continue its war. not that will bother you, you genocide fan boy.

MacZ

nato provides a lot of things that ultimately proved futile. the point is it cannot directly fight russia without destroying itself. now it is at the very end of what it can do, and is starting to squeal.

AM Hants

have you heard of diplomacy? if russia acknowledged the nato proxy war, that nato and us politicians have confirmed, then what happens next? working as they do, russia is exposing it all to the world as they take the russian sections of ukraine back under russian control, with minimal fatalities of ukrainians.

Aragorn

there are a teeny-weeny illogic in kill one million ukrainans for something “us” has done, especially when similar things have happen for hundreds of years. i cant wait for to see how they shall get everything to fit in the end !

homer americunt simpson

americunt vanya humiliated–nato exposed as paper tiger by russia

Chen

moscow should hit 40 nato bombers just for the sake of tit for tat.

AM Hants

possibility, that whilst russia is still weighing up all the facts, it still might lead to a nuclear war. especially if president trump knew about what was planned. that would mean the us declaring war on russia, by targeting russia’s nuclear deterrant system. why was the us defence secretary watching it unfold? why was lindsey graham, blumenthal, pence and pompeo in ukraine, giving speaches around the time this all kicked off?

Aragorn

the devil think he is smart 😂 get all “satan” missiles airborne, or continue to kill neo-nazis and darwins mercenaries, and put the country on war feet. you have traitors running around.

Karl

wow the copium, all nato has been disarmed, impoverished in this war, russia is stronger and richer lol

the narrative

this has inside job finger prints . russia must have zionist banker mafia agents inside it’s boarders to do this propaganda stunt . to be a friend of israel is deadly .

homer americunt simpson

imho swallow much jew jizz in her americunt ghetto

jens holm

u dumb americunts swalloww too much kosher jizz

AM Hants

really? how many nato special forces serving in ukraine either as mercenaries on vacation from their primary job, or working as military instructors are now rotting in the gates-beyer-monsanto compost?

Western Forces

and these neo nazis want a ceasefire,ridiculous,smh 🤦

hash
hashed
Vanya

the russians are the delusional ones always wanting to negotiate, what is there to negotiate about?

Vanya

suppose the russians have to put on a show to their nato partners so they can continue to sell gas and oil in american currency that gets confiscated anyways by the hundreds of billions.

MacZ

vanya the mi6 agent is always pissed at russia for supposed relation with the west it is at war against, but never pissed at the west for their support or terrorism or genocide.

Erikovitch

mranwhile zelensky as commander in chief holds the responsibility for the death of at least one million of his countrymen and the total destruction of his countries infrastructure. all for his piano pounding ego.

AM Hants

optics. russia is showing willing and following international law, despite all provocations. then when the gloves come off, russia has a lovely audit trail, showing that she tried looking for a peaceful finale.

NATO is laughing at you

hahahahahaha hahahahaha hahahahaha hahahahaha y

MacZ

yes sure …

dead mercs

natostan is doomed as is the entire eussr and the evil anlozionazi empire of shit. thank you russia for destroying anglozionazi fa$cism yet again. however, this time it must be pulled out by the roots.

Clyde

crimea bridge is getting boom boom putin is a cuck

MacZ

no it’s not : it’s another failure of ukraine. everything ukraine and nato does just turn to shit. even their insults are quite weak.

Last edited 1 day ago by MacZ
Patrick

okay expert

Western Forces

the bridge is still standing.

Aragorn

standing strong 🥰

rasputin

just like denys davidov on youtube this is childish🤡

Clyde

nafomosexuals and ukretards flailing again. it’s not ol’ clyde’s fault that you bought the silly us story of the failed ukrainian cia project

Operation Spiderweb

the allies can hit russia anywhere anytime…just wait until nukes are put on the drones…heheheh

hash
hashed
MacZ

we are going to be waiting for a long time. nato leaders are quite stupid but they won’t destroy their own country for shitty ukraine, that’s for sure.

Vanya

starting to look like nato can do whatever it wants via their ukrop front

MacZ

and that is why it is now screaming/whining/squealing for a ceasefire. that is the smell of defeat.

Aragorn

do not be to sure. “us” have tension the spring in the clock work, like in the finance of nazi germany from family bush. now they only have to commit a slow suicide for their master, like germany and ukraine.

Patrick

lol, what drones are nuclear capable?

Fgtgnn

the us smallest nuclear bomb weight is 23 kg. it’s called w54. it was equiped on portable rocket system called davy crockett m338. it was banned after the non prolifération treaty.

Aragorn

you mean, it was banned when the lie about its existence become obsolete. but, cadavers which walk have stand for about 5000 years, only 80 years for “nukes”. this will be boring 😑

Fgtgnn

the critical mass for plutonium 239 is 10 kg. it can be less than 10 with berillum deflectors

Aragorn

have you test “nine eleven” by run into the kitchen wall head first ? you cant test “nuclear weapon” in the kitchen, still you believe in a mentally disturbed “jew”, einstein, with a “theory” that demands two clocks to both get slower than the other at the same instant.

the narrative

i wonder if the russian nuclear bomber fleet is even a relevant delivery system . missiles and submarines have replaced airplanes in many scenarios . i dismiss the propaganda

rasputin

what matters is what happens on the battlefield: 2000 afu kia daily🥶

Imho

you can keep spinning the attack as a failure for the stupid people.

fact is that it was a huge success and showed russia that they are not as superior as they want people to think.

and it shows that kiev is far from beaten.

no matter how much land they take, nato will still be on their doorstep.

if russia wasn’t a zionist stooge, they might would have a chance.

hash
hashed
MacZ

if that is a huge success, ukraine better surrender now. any success would have at least some effect on the current war but this clearly wasn’t able to. also the terrorist attacks that kiev launched is quite the indication of weakness and desperation. winners don’t need to attack civilians.

kotromanic

ukraines goal is to do damage to russia while going down. not to survive not to save its people just to hurt russia in preparation of a nato attack. thats why they are attacking the nuclear triad after allready attacking the early warning radars. they are not doing it for themselves but for their masters.

MacZ

if that is a case, it is a monumental failure. not only is the russian army much more efficient and deadly and its economy stronger, but damaging a few airplanes is in not going to affect its nuclear deterence one bit. nato cannot directly engage russia without destroying itself in a nuclear war, or else they would already be in ukraine.

MacZ

nato thought they could remove russia from the global equation, leaving china alone. first by threatening by using ukraine, then they expected the economic or political side (regime change) to play in their favor. now they are stuck in a war they are losing 50 to 1 with all the credibility consequences that this will have.

Vanya

russian doctine, diplomacy, economy, and army are all a sad joke unfortunately

MacZ

absurd statements from an mi6 agent or affiliated that has no bearing on reality. nato is losing 50 to 1, and that will have quite an impact on its credibility (more than it does now).

Western Forces

just don’t cry when russia retaliates.

Vanya

lets hope we all don’t go into a coma first.

MacZ

you have some time left to stuff some nato c*cks in your mouth in the meantime.

Clyde

the stunt shows nothing about the state of the failed ukrainian cia project.

Aragorn

do you plan to do anything against the genocide of the jews ? else those photos could as well be from a scrap yard, which i suspect it is, in reality.

hash
hashed
Niccolò Machiavelli

they are not photos, they are generated by artificial stupidity. no airforce on the planet stores aircraft like that, even in a scrap yard. and that plane with two noses is amazing, i didn’t know they made them like that……

dead mercs

glaas over kiev already. it’s time to make war on the natostan fascist filth.

hash
hashed
inpeacetiktoknow

the factors ukraine have proven that nowhere is safe in russia. some billions of dollars damage was done and russia have lost that which will need maybe 2 years to replace the lost aircraft. reputation will never be restored as russia is now seen as weak and almost defenseless. russia seem to be begging for peace now and if nsto create a no fly zone over ukraine it will be over for russia.

hash
hashed
Last edited 1 day ago by inpeacetiktoknow
MacZ

you have to wonder where these nato propagandists find these ridiculous ideas. they just don’t know if russia has some of these bombers mothballed somewhere. a handful strategic bombers in a faraway landing strip doesn’t change anything for the war in ukraine. nato losing 50 to 1 against nato will have credibility consequences. it is nato that is demanding a ceasefire.

Spiderman

the russian troll working for cents

AM Hants

so says the nafo/project alchemy/integrity initiative/statecraft troll.

MacZ

i think russia is perfectly content to continue to pummel ukraine until it is a threat no more, as was stated is its intention.

Vanya

the russians have no ability to make aircraft like that, it would take the russians no less than 15 years to design and produce similar aircraft, judging by their post soviet track record it might take 20-30 years. they are having great difficulty making a mid size passenger jet and a small single engine aircraft with 100% domestic parts.

MacZ

except they are producing tu-160m2 right now. believe the bs of nato/propagandists that are willfully completely ignorant at your own risks.

Last edited 1 day ago by MacZ
AM Hants

not forgetting, the few mothballed planes that were damaged, will soon be fixed and they still have around 60 others to carry out tasks. just in that class of aircraft.

AM Hants

remind me, how long did it take the us to get the f35 into active service? remind me, but, does the us still need the russian space rocket engines to get their astronauts into space? remind me, how long did it take for russia to design and build the kerch strait bridge? or get it up and running, following each of the 3 ukrainian strikes on the bridge?

americunt jizz slurper

piecelickcock deported by zelensky to west virginia–dumb hillbilly swallow too much mulattojizz

Emanuel, do Brasil

ukros chupadores e engolidores de porra

americunt jizz slurper

slurping jizz makes moron delusional–former ukraine loses territory daily

Niccolò Machiavelli

if these were american planes i would agree, the yanks pay almost a thousand dollars for a toilet seat (for taking military grade dumps, no doubt). russia built almost 500 tu-22s and the same number of tu-95s – most of which are almost as old as i am (and that is saying something). they can always put the fuses back in another batch – or order more tu-160s from mr. tupolev (he would like that very much). the yank hardware the houthis shot down was worth more than this exercise.

rasputin

this was just an early warning and around 10 planes hit out of 900+ bombers is nothing🤫 and nato targets and arms factories in all european cities can be hit with missiles anyway. btw nuclear subs can destroy the pentagon, aircraft carriers and other stuff around the world🍿🥤🍿

Last edited 1 day ago by rasputin
AM Hants

where did ukraine get the cost figures from? 9 aircrafts, that were launched back in the 50s? in the meantime, how much did operation spiderweb cost and how long did it take put together? just to take out 9 mothballed planes? 3 airfields escaped out of 5. 2 airfields suffered minimal loss. would not call that a success, considering the time and money spent on the exercise, would you?

Aragorn

the working slave cast believe stronger in something, as more enslaved it gets by it. you understand that your zeros are created by a parasite which can write as many he wants in a computer, and then kill you with a trick movie, by use your emotions ? it should not surprise me at all, if the “nuclear weapons” get destroyed as slowly as the smo. “sorry, they are gone” 🤡

hash
hashed
Malcolm Z

the problem is that the high russian command think that they are in military drills and not in a war vs nato ( using ukraine as a pawn), roads near the air base shoul be controlled by police and trucks inpected, survillance drones monitoring all around, platton of soldier armed with shotguns protecting planes….

hash
hashed
MacZ

the air bases where the attack had some success were the ones on the other side of the country. it is certainly a lack of imagination that ukraine would go that far away to make a point or two (those bombers weren’t used on ukraine). the russia military seems quite apt at adapting to changing conditions. i think ukraine will have difficulties repeating this one of attack.

Last edited 1 day ago by MacZ
tatas

this video was generated by ai

hash
hashed
Aragorn

you mean the video from the attack ? please inform us ! the video from “nine eleven” was generated by a idiot, i suppose they have move on to ai now.

rasputin

it was not an idiot but it had to be done fast from a helicopter. the images were on cnn within 20 minutes we know who did it🤫

Last edited 1 day ago by rasputin
Aragorn

oh, yes, it was a idiot which makes videos for idiots. its directly from walt disney 🤡

tatas

the video above, for example, the position of the aircraft, engines

Aragorn

breaking news ? that one looks like a wet dream from a scrap yard. i agree that its normally better order on a airfield…

AM Hants

is that the video on 9/11 that the bbc showed, 20 minutes before it actually happened? was it building 7?

Aragorn

that one are also funny 😂 no, its the video with a “airplane” which defy newtons laws, and only melts into the steel and betong structure, without any damage at all. this is in class with the russian bird in “donald duck bird watching” 😂 i had several gb with material from the towers and pentagon on my server.

Raven

leaving such high value military assets out in the open on full display to spy satellites during wartime is very poor planning by the russian military when camo netting suspended over simple frames could have protected them from both satellite observation and from drones.

hash
failed
MacZ

it is/was a necessity of arms control between superpowers for them to be able to control the number or emplacement of strategic bombers. no more, or course. as usual, the west lead us to a more dangerous place where they become more and more blind.

rasputin

the planes that were hit were probably donor planes

Slavonac

it does appear that newly coined russian red lines are just posturing as this brazen attack on the last line of defence clearly demonstrates. not only did russia fail to protect their apparently deterrence force, but it also did not reply to the attack. if these drones were carrying nuclear warheads, they would have crippled russia.

MacZ

strategic bombers are the least of a nuclear deterence and the first to be gone probably in case of nuclear war. a few of them destroyed is a hit but far from a crippling blow. some reply has already been done, as it seems some senior officers from nato and ukraine tried to catch a kinzhal in sumy. you won’t hear of that in the western media of course.

Slavonac

dismissing the significance of this attack is a dangerous denial at one’s peril. after the loss of syria i thought they made a deal with us, of course this attack just proves that being impossible.

MacZ

what deal ? the us and its puppets are on a global crusade to try to retain their grip on the world. we are already in wwiii. do not expect them to suddenly have a change of heart and be reasonable. all we can hope now it that they will be defeated without it turning into a nuclear war.

Aragorn

you do not understand me. its impossible to make any deal with “us”. its like trying to make a deal with a poisonous snake, or a lizard. the eventually non-existance of “nuclear weapon” can be a heritage from very sick germans imported to “us”. it could sink the psychopaths ruling. try to understand a world ruled by trick movies, for heavens sake !

bert33

so. russia has missiles now. planes are so 60’s.

hash
hashed
Erikovitch

planned and executed by ukraine, just as they claim for the nord stream etc? somehow i don’t think so. chances are britain, france, germany are heavily involved in this attack… awaiting confirmation….. then…

hash
hashed
homer americunt simpson

inferior americunt species tantrums at sf—stupified immoral primitive idiots desperate to find agreement from another feminized coward americunt

hash
hashed
hasbarats

the oink oinks and their westoid handlers are looking for the next sugar high. this one already worn out

hash
hashed
jens holm

senile vanya americunt hillbilly cannot find suitable gay mulatto so tantrums at sf

hash
hashed
Paul Citro

lesson learned. no longer will russian jets be parked in the open as targets for enemy attacks.

hash
hashed
AM Hants

out of curiousity i would be interested in how much ukraine and friends of ukraine have lost, courtesy of the latest pr scam? the western media might believe it is a miracle, but, what do the nations outside the west view it all? trump is desperate to talk to xi, but, does xi want to talk to trump? that is for starters.

hash
hashed
Kamano

all of nato’s weapons have been destroyed in ukraine along with many of its top officers and trainers. where have you been living? under a rock? they and us still don’t have hypersonics. however the iranians have them.

hash
hashed