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Time of India
11-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Watch: Footage shows Ukrainian spy being shot dead by masked man; probe launched
Investigators at crime scene Ukraine's intelligence agency has launched an investigation after a person it identified as its employee was shot dead in the war-hit country's capital, Kyiv. "A criminal investigation has been launched into the murder of an SBU employee in the Golosiivsky district of Kyiv," the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU)told AFP in a statement. According to Ukrainska Pravda, an independent news outlet, the SBU member killed was an officer, Colonel Ivan Voronych. The suspect fired five times at the victim with a silenced pistol, it reported, citing SBU sources. Ukrainian media also posted what appeared to be security camera footage showing a man walking through a parking lot with bags being attacked by another man, who ran towards the victim. Moscow has repeatedly accused Kyiv of orchestrating a spate of high-profile killings of Russian military officials or pro-Kremlin commentators since the Russia-Ukraine war began in February 2022. Russian military bloggers celebrate Russian military bloggers welcomed the killing and suggested Moscow was responsible. "There are plenty of motives for eliminating this SBU employee, both within our special services and within Ukraine itself," said Rybar, a pro-Kremlin Telegram channel linked to the Russian military. It noted that the deceased worked for an SBU department which was assigned "special tasks", which, according to some reports, included sabotage operations against Russia. Russian war correspondent Alexander Kots called the killing "a good sign". "The enemy should be afraid on his own territory. There should be no safe places for him," he wrote on Telegram.
Economic Times
03-06-2025
- Politics
- Economic Times
Russia Ukraine war: Sunday's drone attacks known as Operation Spider's Web shift modern-day strategy. Step-by-step explained
Live Events FAQs (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel Ukraine said it secretly planted a swarm of drones in Russia and then unleashed them in a surprise attack Sunday, hitting airfields from eastern Siberia to Russia's western border. The assault set several Russian aircraft on fire, stunned the Kremlin and dealt a strategic and symbolic blow to Moscow's relentless bombing campaign in Ukraine. However, Russian officials said that there were no casualties and that some of the Ukrainian attacks had been Defense Ministry said Sunday that Ukrainian drones had attacked airfields in five regions stretching across five time zones: Murmansk, Irkutsk, Ivanovo, Ryazan and Amur. Several aircraft caught fire in Murmansk, near the border with Norway, and in Irkutsk, in eastern Siberia, the ministry said, adding that attacks on the three other regions had been said that 117 drones were used in the attacks. An official in Ukraine's security services, the SBU, said dozens of aircraft were damaged in the strikes. The person spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss a sensitive intelligence plan was called Operation Spider's Web. Drones were planted across Russia, near military bases, the Ukrainians said, and then activated simultaneously. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine said on social media Sunday that planning began a year and a half ago. He called the results "absolutely brilliant." Those involved in the attack, he added, were withdrawn from Russia before it took Monday, the Ukrainians offered more details about the operation. Over many months, they said, dozens of drones were secretly transported into drones were packed onto pallets inside wooden containers with remote-controlled lids and then loaded onto trucks, an SBU statement said. Ukrainian officials said the crates were rigged to self-destruct after the drones were released. There was no indication that the truck drivers knew what they were hauling, Ukrainian officials said 41 planes had been hit, or about one-third of the strategic cruise-missile carriers at Russian air bases across three time zones. Russian military bloggers said the Ukrainian damage estimates were inflated. One influential Russian military blogger, Rybar, put the number of damaged Russian aircraft at 13, including up to 12 strategic and European security officials said that they estimated that as many as 20 Russian strategic aircraft may have been destroyed or severely damaged -- with Russia's losses including six Tu-95 and four Tu-22M long-range strategic bombers, as well as A-50 warplanes, which are used to detect air defenses and guided missiles. Ukraine has been gunning for those warplanes since the start of the war because Russia uses them to strike Ukrainian attack in Irkutsk, on the Belaya air base, was the first time that any place in Siberia had been attacked by Ukraine's drones since the war began with Russia's full-scale invasion in February Olenya base in the Murmansk region is also one of Russia's key strategic airfields, hosting nuclear-capable has executed ambitious drone attacks on Russian territory before. In late 2022, Kyiv targeted two airfields hundreds of miles inside Russia using long-range drones. But Russia adapted, building protective structures around depots at bases, bringing in more air-defense assets and routinely repositioning its fleet. Car tires seemingly used as defensive measures are visible in satellite imagery from two bases -- which has banked on expanding the use of domestically produced drones -- turned to a new approach. The idea behind Operation Spider's Web was to transport small, first-person-view drones close enough to Russian airfields to render traditional air-defense systems useless, officials the full extent of the damage from Ukraine's strikes is unknown, the attacks showed that Kyiv was adapting and evolving in the face of a larger military with deeper Ukrainian strikes came a day before Russia and Ukraine met in Istanbul for further peace talks. Zelenskyy said Monday that the operation had showed Russia that it was also vulnerable to serious losses and "that is what will push it toward diplomacy."But analysts say the attacks are unlikely to alter the political calculus of Russia's president, Vladimir Putin. There was no indication that the attack had changed the Kremlin's belief that it holds an advantage over Ukraine, as it counts on the weakening resolve of some of Kyiv's allies and its ability to grind down outnumbered Ukrainian troops.A1. President of Ukraine is Volodymyr Zelenskyy.A2. Russian President is Vladimir Putin.
Time of India
03-06-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Russia Ukraine war: Sunday's drone attacks known as Operation Spider's Web shift modern-day strategy. Step-by-step explained
Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads FAQs Ukraine said it secretly planted a swarm of drones in Russia and then unleashed them in a surprise attack Sunday, hitting airfields from eastern Siberia to Russia's western border. The assault set several Russian aircraft on fire, stunned the Kremlin and dealt a strategic and symbolic blow to Moscow's relentless bombing campaign in Ukraine. However, Russian officials said that there were no casualties and that some of the Ukrainian attacks had been Defense Ministry said Sunday that Ukrainian drones had attacked airfields in five regions stretching across five time zones: Murmansk, Irkutsk, Ivanovo, Ryazan and Amur. Several aircraft caught fire in Murmansk, near the border with Norway, and in Irkutsk, in eastern Siberia, the ministry said, adding that attacks on the three other regions had been said that 117 drones were used in the attacks. An official in Ukraine's security services, the SBU, said dozens of aircraft were damaged in the strikes. The person spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss a sensitive intelligence plan was called Operation Spider's Web. Drones were planted across Russia, near military bases, the Ukrainians said, and then activated simultaneously. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine said on social media Sunday that planning began a year and a half ago. He called the results "absolutely brilliant." Those involved in the attack, he added, were withdrawn from Russia before it took Monday, the Ukrainians offered more details about the operation. Over many months, they said, dozens of drones were secretly transported into drones were packed onto pallets inside wooden containers with remote-controlled lids and then loaded onto trucks, an SBU statement said. Ukrainian officials said the crates were rigged to self-destruct after the drones were released. There was no indication that the truck drivers knew what they were hauling, Ukrainian officials said 41 planes had been hit, or about one-third of the strategic cruise-missile carriers at Russian air bases across three time zones. Russian military bloggers said the Ukrainian damage estimates were inflated. One influential Russian military blogger, Rybar, put the number of damaged Russian aircraft at 13, including up to 12 strategic and European security officials said that they estimated that as many as 20 Russian strategic aircraft may have been destroyed or severely damaged -- with Russia's losses including six Tu-95 and four Tu-22M long-range strategic bombers, as well as A-50 warplanes, which are used to detect air defenses and guided missiles. Ukraine has been gunning for those warplanes since the start of the war because Russia uses them to strike Ukrainian attack in Irkutsk, on the Belaya air base, was the first time that any place in Siberia had been attacked by Ukraine's drones since the war began with Russia's full-scale invasion in February Olenya base in the Murmansk region is also one of Russia's key strategic airfields, hosting nuclear-capable has executed ambitious drone attacks on Russian territory before. In late 2022, Kyiv targeted two airfields hundreds of miles inside Russia using long-range drones. But Russia adapted, building protective structures around depots at bases, bringing in more air-defense assets and routinely repositioning its fleet. Car tires seemingly used as defensive measures are visible in satellite imagery from two bases -- which has banked on expanding the use of domestically produced drones -- turned to a new approach. The idea behind Operation Spider's Web was to transport small, first-person-view drones close enough to Russian airfields to render traditional air-defense systems useless, officials the full extent of the damage from Ukraine's strikes is unknown, the attacks showed that Kyiv was adapting and evolving in the face of a larger military with deeper Ukrainian strikes came a day before Russia and Ukraine met in Istanbul for further peace talks. Zelenskyy said Monday that the operation had showed Russia that it was also vulnerable to serious losses and "that is what will push it toward diplomacy."But analysts say the attacks are unlikely to alter the political calculus of Russia's president, Vladimir Putin. There was no indication that the attack had changed the Kremlin's belief that it holds an advantage over Ukraine, as it counts on the weakening resolve of some of Kyiv's allies and its ability to grind down outnumbered Ukrainian troops.A1. President of Ukraine is Volodymyr Zelenskyy.A2. Russian President is Vladimir Putin.
Yahoo
02-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
What to know about Ukraine's stunning ‘Operation Spider Web'
Ukraine this weekend struck one of its most devastating blows in its grinding war against Russia's invading army, using smuggled drones to target bombers on air bases deep inside Russian territory. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky quickly took credit for what he called 'Operation Spider Web,' a contrast with many of Ukraine's attacks inside Russia. He said 117 drones were used in the attack Sunday, each with its own operator back in Ukraine. Zelensky said the drone attacks took out nearly a third of Moscow's fleet of bomber aircraft, which has rained terror on his country for more than three years. Ukraine's security services said 41 Russian aircraft were destroyed or damaged. Russian military bloggers put the figure lower, with the prominent Rybar account saying 13 Russian aircraft were damaged. Here's what to know about the stunning attacks: Ukraine said 'Operation Spider Web' was started 18 months ago, in what military experts called a remarkable feat of logistics, espionage and military cunning. The bomb-laden drones were hidden in what Reuters reported were the roofs of wooden sheds. These sheds were loaded onto 18-wheelers and parked near military bases as deep into Russia as Siberia. The roof panels were then remotely lifted up, so the drones could fly out and stealthily begin their attack. The operation likely required recruiting Russians to assist throughout the smuggling network, without alerting Moscow's sprawling spy services. It underlines how Ukraine has transformed modern warfare with its use of drones on the battlefield, one aspect of the war that does not rely on U.S. support. Videos ricocheted across the internet after the attacks, showing explosions at air bases across Russia. Russia's defense minister said airfields were attacked in the Murmansk, Irkutsk, Ivanovo, Ryazan and Amur regions of the country. The New York Times said it verified a video showing two drones take off from containers on the back of a semitruck within 4 miles from a Russian military base, with smoke plumes visible in the distance. Other images showed what appeared to be Tu-95 strategic bombers on fire. The operation did not stop Russian and Ukrainian envoys from meeting for another round of talks Monday, in which they were set to exchange broad plans to end the war. Zelensky said documents were swapped after the talks finished, and suggested a new prisoner swap is in the works. If the scale of Ukraine's attack is confirmed, 'Operation Spider Web' could be Ukraine's most damaging drone attack of the war. Ukraine's security service estimated the strikes dealt Russia $7 billion in damage. While experts say the operation could significantly degrade Russia's capacity to wage aerial assault on Ukraine, it is unlikely to shift Russian President Vladimir Putin's strategy or resolve. Those involved in the attacks were withdrawn from Russia before they were carried out, Zelensky said. However, Russia's defense ministry said it had detained an undisclosed number of 'participants in the terrorist attacks,' the Financial Times reported, citing state media. Ukraine's air force said Russia launched 472 drones over Ukraine overnight Sunday, in one of its largest drone attacks in the war, with explosions reported in the cities of Kharkiv and Zaporizhzhia, and strikes on at least 18 locations. Neither Putin nor the Kremlin have publicly addressed the attacks, and state media outlets made little mention of them as of Monday morning in the U.S. President Trump was not informed ahead of time of the drone attacks, a Trump administration official told The Hill's sister network NewsNation on Sunday. If Ukraine's timeline is correct, the plan was in the works when Trump told Zelensky in February that he had 'no cards' in negotiations to end the war. Trump had not publicly remarked on the attacks as of 11 a.m. EDT Monday. Trump has ramped up criticism of Putin in recent days. The president last week wrote on social media that Putin had gone 'absolutely CRAZY' and warned he was 'playing with fire' with continued strikes on Ukrainian cities. Ukraine, unlike Russia, has agreed to a U.S. proposal for an unconditional 30-day ceasefire. Kyiv has also signed a framework deal for the U.S. to recoup any future spending on Ukraine's military with proceeds from natural resource extraction after the war. Trump has at times blamed Putin, Zelensky and former President Biden for the war, and has warned the U.S. will walk away from peace talks if there's no progress toward a deal. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Hill
02-06-2025
- Politics
- The Hill
What to know about Ukraine's stunning ‘Operation Spider Web'
Ukraine this weekend struck one of its most devastating blows in its grinding war against Russia's invading army, using smuggled drones to target bombers on air bases deep inside Russian territory. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky quickly took credit for what he called 'Operation Spider Web,' a contrast with many of Ukraine's attacks inside Russia. He said 117 drones were used in the attack on Sunday, each with its own operator back in Ukraine. Zelensky said the drone attacks took out nearly a third of Moscow's fleet of bomber aircraft, which has reined terror on his country for more than three years. Ukraine's security services said that 41 Russian aircraft were destroyed or damaged. Russian military bloggers put the figure lower, with the prominent Rybar account saying 13 Russian aircraft were damaged. Here's what to know about the stunning attacks: Ukraine said 'Operation Spider Web' was started 18 months ago, in what military experts called a remarkable feat of logistics, espionage and military cunning. The bomb-laden drones were hidden in what Reuters reported were the roofs of wooden sheds. These sheds were loaded onto 18-wheelers and parked near military bases as deep into Russia as Siberia. The roof panels were then remotely lifted up, so the drones could fly out and stealthily begin their attack. The operation likely required recruiting Russians to assist throughout the smuggling network, without alerting Moscow's sprawling spy services. It underlines how Ukraine has transformed modern warfare with its use of drones on the battlefield; one aspect of the war that does not rely on U.S. support. Videos ricocheted across the internet after the attacks, showing explosions at air bases across Russia. Russia's defense minister said airfields were attacked in the Murmansk, Irkutsk, Ivanovo, Ryazan and Amur regions of the country. The New York Times said it verified a video showing two drones take off from containers on the back of a semi-truck within four miles from a Russian military base, with smoke plumes visible in the distance. Other images showed what appeared to be Tu-95 strategic bombers on fire. The operation did not stop Russian and Ukrainian envoys from meeting for another round of talks on Monday, in which they were set to exchange broad plans to end the war. Zelensky said documents were swapped after the talks finished, and suggested a new prisoner swap is in the works. If the scale of Ukraine's attack is confirmed, 'Operation Spider Web' could be Ukraine's most damaging drone attack of the war. Ukraine's security service estimated the strikes dealt Russia $7 billion in damage. While experts say the operation could significantly degrade Russia's capacity to wage aerial assault on Ukraine, it is unlikely to shift Russian President Vladimir Putin's strategy or resolve. Those involved in the attacks were withdrawn from Russia before they were carried out, Zelensky said. However, Russia's defense ministry said it had detained an undisclosed number of 'participants in the terrorist attacks,' the Financial Times reported, citing state media. Ukraine's air force said Russia launched 472 drones over Ukraine overnight on Sunday, in one of its largest drone attacks in the war, with explosions reported in the cities of Kharkiv and Zaporizhzhia, and strikes on at least 18 locations. Neither Putin nor the Kremlin have publicly addressed the attacks, and state media outlets made little mention of them as of Monday morning EST. President Trump was not informed ahead of time of the drone attacks, a Trump administration official told The Hill's sister network NewsNation on Sunday. If Ukraine's timeline is correct, the plan was in the works when Trump told Zelensky in February that he had 'no cards' in negotiations to end the war. Trump had not publicly remarked on the attacks as of 11 a.m. Monday. Trump has ramped up criticism of Putin in recent days. The president last week wrote on social media that Putin had gone 'absolutely CRAZY' and warned he was 'playing with fire' with continued strikes on Ukrainian cities. Ukraine, unlike Russia, has agreed to a U.S. proposal for an unconditional 30-day ceasefire. Kyiv has also signed a framework deal for the U.S. to recoup any future spending on Ukraine's military with proceeds from natural resource extraction after the war. Trump has at times blamed Putin, Zelensky and President Biden for the war, and has warned the U.S. will walk away from peace talks if there's no progress toward a deal.
