Ukraine Launches its Largest Drone Strike of the War Against Russian Airfields

What Happened?

Ukrainian forces have launched drone attacks against at least five Russian airfields, some as far inland as Siberia. According to Ukrainian officials, the operation, code named Spiderweb, has been in the planning stages for eighteen months, had the personal approval of Ukrainian President Zelenskyy, and has resulted in the destruction of forty-one Russian combat aircraft.

Russian officials have acknowledged the attack, though the Kremlin did not confirm or deny the number of Russian aircraft that were destroyed on the ground by Ukrainian drones. Ukrainian officials also said the drones were smuggled into Russia onboard cargo trucks and launched from inside Russian territory.

Why it Matters

The Ukrainian drone attacks are significant for two reasons. First, with the increased Russian drone attacks against Ukraine, this attack by Ukraine on Russian forces demonstrates that the Ukrainian government does not feel intimidated. Second, the style of this attack, unmanned aerial drones being smuggled into a country then launched at military bases, is a type of attack that could be carried out in any country.

Russian authorities have implied repeatedly in the past few weeks that they are nearing victory, and this attack by Ukraine provides strong evidence that the Russian claims are overblown. The attack is also likely timed to coincide with potential negotiations in Istanbul and will provide Ukrainian negotiators with proof that they are not ready to cease fighting.

This style of attack also presents new security challenges for every country. Most unmanned drones used by Ukraine have a limited range, and because of Russia’s vast size many targets within Russia were beyond the reach of Ukraine’s drone arsenal. By moving drones into Russia secretly then launching them against military installations, Ukraine has developed a new type of attack which could be replicated almost anywhere in the world.

Given the already numerous intrusions onto U.S. government installations, including some military bases, by unmanned drones in the past two years, the United States could certainly be hit with this kind of attack. Less than 5% of cargo entering the United States is inspected, due the enormous volume of goods entering the country. Inspecting even half of all cargo coming into the United States would be enormously time consuming and expensive.

Which means nefarious groups or governments with the necessary resources and will could launch this type of attack against American bases here in the continental United States. 

How it Affects You

The war in Ukraine and Gaza has already led to a significant increase in the complexity and lethality of unmanned drones as weapons of war. By positioning drones close to their intended targets before launch, that gives defenders very little time to respond. Drones are already difficult to see on radar because of their small size, which makes this style of attack particularly worrisome from a security standpoint.