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SBU Video Touts 'Operation Spiderweb' Strikes on Five Russian Airbases, Claims 15 Aircraft Hit

The release highlights Ukraine’s long‑range drone campaign, prompting scrutiny of the SBU’s $1 billion damage estimate.

Overview

  • The SBU’s Alpha unit published a compilation showing drones striking parked aircraft and says five bases were hit without specifying dates.
  • The agency claims 15 aircraft were destroyed or damaged, including 11 fighter jets, three helicopters, and an An‑26 transport, with losses valued at over $1 billion.
  • Open‑source analysis points to Belbek, Kirovskoye, Saky, and Simferopol in Russian‑occupied Crimea as likely sites targeted.
  • Journalistic reviews question how the valuation was calculated and note that the videos do not conclusively show the extent of destruction.
  • The campaign unfolds alongside reciprocal actions, including Russian strikes on Ukraine’s power grid and Odesa, and a January 13 Ukrainian hit on the Atlant Aero drone plant in Taganrog.