Ukrainian AI-trained drones strike Russian airbases
Ukrainian military intelligence trained AI systems on images of Russian jets to enable autonomous targeting of strategic bombers. On 1 June 2025, AI-guided drones operated in the 'Spiderweb' operation struck four Russian airbases, destroying 41 aircraft worth approximately $7 billion in a single day.
What happened
Ukrainian military intelligence trained artificial intelligence systems on thousands of images of Russian jets to hunt and target strategic bombers. On 1 June 2025, Ukrainian forces deployed AI-trained drones in an operation called 'Spiderweb,' striking four Russian airbases and destroying 41 aircraft including elite 'red lines' bombers.
Reported impact
The strike destroyed approximately $7 billion worth of Russian military aircraft in a single day, marking the largest single-day loss of Russian aircraft since World War II.
Index analysis
Both Ukrainian and Russian forces are fielding drones with rising levels of autonomy, rendering them capable of seeking out and attacking targets without direct human control. Moscow has developed fibre-optic cable-guided drones to defeat jamming technologies.
Classification
Sources and evidence
This record was researched and written by the Index, based on the following original reporting.