Ukrainian AI drones attack Russian military aircraft in Operation Spider Web
Ukraine reportedly deployed AI-powered autonomous drones in June 2025 to attack Russian military airbases in Operation Spider Web, destroying or damaging over 40 aircraft including strategic bombers. The drones were trained to recognize specific aircraft types and autonomously select targets, with Ukraine's Defense Tech cluster Brave1 confirming the first combat use of the country's AI-powered mother drone system.
What happened
Ukraine's Security Service launched a coordinated long-range drone attack codenamed 'Spiderweb' on June 2025 targeting Russian airbases across five regions—Murmansk, Irkutsk, Ivanovo, Ryazan, and Amur. AI-enhanced drones were covertly transported into Russia via specially modified trucks and launched to autonomously target aircraft including Tu-95 and Tu-22M3 strategic bombers and A-50 early warning planes.
The operation reportedly hit at least 41 aircraft, with 10 completely destroyed and many more damaged. Ukraine's drones were trained using AI to recognize specific aircraft types and target vulnerable components such as fuel tanks, using data from real aircraft and simulations.
Reported impact
The SBU estimates the damage at USD 7 billion and claims that 34 percent of Russia's strategic cruise missile carriers were affected. For Russia, the attack represents a significant loss of military capability, potentially hampering its ability to conduct missile strikes against Ukraine and affecting its long-range strike and nuclear deterrence capabilities.
For Ukraine, the operation demonstrates the country's ability to execute complex, technologically advanced missions and signals to allies and adversaries that Ukraine can strike deep into Russian territory.
Index analysis
The operation highlights the growing role of AI and autonomous systems in modern warfare, demonstrating the use of AI technology to make real-time targeting decisions in combat operations without human control at the point of attack.
Classification
Sources and evidence
This record was researched and written by the Index, based on the following original reporting.