Ukraine has claimed a major drone attack on Russian military airbases, saying it destroyed aircraft worth more than $1 billion in a secret mission called Operation Spiderweb, according to reports.

The Daily Mail reported that Ukrainian drones struck Russian airfields located deep behind the front lines. Ukraine has not revealed the exact date of the attack, but said it happened across five different military bases.

Ukraine’s spy agency, the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), said its elite Alpha unit destroyed 15 Russian military aircraft. These include 11 fighter jets, three helicopters, and one cargo plane.

The fighter jets reportedly destroyed include Sukhoi Su-30SM, Su-34, Su-27, and Su-24 aircraft. The SBU also claimed it destroyed MiG-31 interceptors, which are an important part of Russia’s air defence system. These jets are used to launch hypersonic Kinzhal missiles.

A Russian Antonov An-26 cargo plane was also destroyed in the attack.

According to the SBU, the Alpha unit also targeted Russia’s transport and logistics system. Helicopters destroyed in the attack include a Mi-8, Mi-26, and Mi-28.

The spy agency said this operation followed an earlier mission where the Alpha unit destroyed or disabled missile launchers and advanced radar systems worth around $4 billion.

This was not the first Operation Spiderweb. A similar mission was carried out last year using first-person view (FPV) drones.

In that operation, drones were secretly smuggled into Russia inside wooden containers disguised as modular homes. Truck drivers carrying them were reportedly unaware of what they were transporting. Once parked near military airbases, the roofs of the containers opened remotely, releasing the drones.

Sources quoted by the Daily Mail said that the attack damaged 34 per cent of Russia’s long-range strategic bombers, including nuclear-capable Tu-95 and Tu-22M3 aircraft.

Meanwhile, Russia has continued its attacks on Ukraine. Russian strikes hit Ukraine’s power grids, cutting electricity and heating in many areas during freezing winter conditions.

A senior Ukrainian lawmaker warned that “the next three weeks will be extremely difficult” as many people have been left without heat and light.

More Russian attacks were reported from the Black Sea port city of Odesa. In recent strikes, 22 people were injured, officials said.

In another attack on a building in Odesa, three people were killed and 25 others were injured.

As Russia’s invasion of Ukraine enters its fourth year, the conflict remains unresolved, continuing to disrupt daily life and leaving millions of people homeless.