Inside Ukraine’s brazen drone operation deep inside Russia

BLUF: Ukrainians most likely were able to integrate SIM cards into FPV drones to remotely control them, in combination with autonomous modes. They attacked the most vulnerable points of the bombers – fuel tanks. 

In other news: Sky Hunter is working on a system to recognize and hit Russian drones. CSG has presented the Pandur 8x8 EVO, a new infantry fighting vehicle based on Ukraine’s experience in the war, and the State Service for Export Control has sent a draft law on reforms to the Ministry of Economy.

THE BIG STORY: Ukraine's Security Service pulls off an unprecedented long-range drone operation

On June 1st, Ukraine's Security Service (SBU) carried out an unparalleled operation that resulted in strikes on 41 Russian aircraft at four different air bases, ultimately destroying or disabling Russian Tu-22M3s, Tu-95MSs, A-50s, An-12s, and Tu-160s. 

The remarkable attack saw FPV drones launched from containers disguised as wooden sheds.

Preparations for the operation took over a year and a half. This included transporting 150 drones, although not all of them reached their final destination points. 

The plan consisted of renting locations where modular homes were constructed, and finding drivers to execute the operation.

The first reports of drone attacks on airfields began to emerge around 1 P.M. Ukrainian time. Soon after, footage from both the drones themselves and witnesses of the strikes gave a glimpse of the scale of destruction.

A total of 117 drones took off from their containers one by one, with the roofs of the sheds opening up for launch. After completing their missions, the launch platforms were burned. The SBU dubbed the mission, which took a year and a half to plan and execute, ‘Operation Spiderweb.’

How did they manage to control so many drones?

Russians have demonstrated the ability to remotely control drones on the front lines while operating from Moscow, hundreds of kilometers away. 

This is accomplished through satellite internet services like Starlink, and it requires having a repeater near the contact line to relay signals from the control unit to the drone.

Ukrainian forces have similar capabilities, but they had to get creative to pull this mission off. Starlink doesn't operate over Russian territory due to the company's policy prohibiting operations in countries under international sanctions.

With that in mind, they most likely had to integrate LTE-enabled SIM cards into each drone  – essentially using Russian telecom networks to attack Russia. 

This explains the minimal delay visible in the video footage, Serhii Kupriienko, CEO of Swarmer, a developer of swarm technology, told Counteroffensive.Pro.

"The slow movements are explained by control channel delays, which are characteristic for all FPV pilots operating them remotely," Kuprienko explained.

An alternative would be satellite internet, but to reduce operational costs, LTE is the most likely option, said Viktor Lokotkov, chief marketing officer at Airlogix, a Ukrainian drone manufacturer. Additionally, providing that many video streams would be difficult through a single repeater, he said.

Footage of the drone attack released online shows the interface of Ardupilot, open-source software that was apparently used to prepare the operation. 

The program doesn't reduce the number of operators needed, so one operator was still required per drone, said Yaroslav Sherstiuk, the founder of TacticMap, an application that helps improve situational awareness. However, the program allows for the drone's flight path from the launch site to the airfield to be pre-programmed.

The attack was reportedly carried out using Osa drones from the Ukrainian company First Contact. The Osa FPV drone can lift a payload of up to 3.3 kg and remain airborne for up to 15 minutes, and it uses AI elements to detect and identify its targets. 

The company declined a request for comment. 

How much damage did the airbase strikes cause?

According to the SBU, 34 percent of Russia's strategic aviation was hit overall. Russia no longer produces the Tu-22M3 and Tu-95 aircraft. Tu-160s are also not being manufactured, although several aircraft are undergoing modernization.

That means that, at least for the time being, these losses are irreversible for the Russian military. A couple of satellite images have confirmed losses:

• At least 7 Tu-95MS aircraft were destroyed;

• 2 Tu-95 were probably damaged;

• 4 Tu-22M3 aircraft were destroyed;

• 1 An-12BK was destroyed.

These numbers are accurate as of this morning.

The airfields are currently covered by clouds, preventing analysts from getting a clear view to determine the exact number of damaged aircraft. 

Footage released by the SBU makes clear that drone operators were instructed to target the most vulnerable spots of the aircraft, with red markings indicating the locations of fuel tanks.

BUSINESS LUNCH TOPICS: What our reporting shows!

1. The SBU hits the Kerch Bridge for the third time

Today, Ukraine’s Security Service struck the Crimean bridge on the Kerch Strait. The explosion involved approximately 1,100 kg of TNT-equivalent, near one of the bridge’s support pillars. 

SBU Chief Vasyl Malyuk stated that the bridge is in critical condition. Russian sources claim the bridge is operating normally, after being shut down for hours this morning.

Back in July 2022, Ukraine’s Military Intelligence obtained all the technical specifications of the bridge.

Additionally, the Kerch Bridge, also known as the Crimean Bridge, is one of the most heavily protected structures in the Black Sea. Russians have created lines of protection, including floating 90-meter-long barriers. They rebuilt it at the beginning of 2025 after the storm.

2. Export control agency’s reforms are in progress

The State Service for Export Control (SSEC) sent a draft law on reforming the service to the Ministry of Economy on June 2nd, Oleh Tsilvik, acting head of the SSEC, told Counteroffensive.Pro.

The draft law, ‘On State Control over International Transfers of Strategic Goods,’ was developed in September 2024, and the document was then sent to the ministry. Since then, it has been passed back and forth between the Ministry of Economy and the SSEC.

The draft law aims to align the SSEC’s work with European Union regulations. It also provides for the SSEC to receive special status that would allow it to develop its own bylaws, instructions, and forms. Some of these haven't been updated in decades. 

Without special status, export regulations are handled by the Ministry of Economy, which lacks the relevant expertise. It will be up to the Ministry of Economy to decide whether the SSEC gets special status, however, Tsilvik said.

After all issues are coordinated with the Ministry of Economy, the draft law will be sent to the Cabinet of Ministers and then to the Verkhovna Rada for consideration. Read our exit interview with Oleksandr Pavlichenko, former head of the SSEC, for a full picture of the regulatory quagmire facing the service.

3. Czechoslovak Group unveils an IFV based on Ukraine’s battlefield experience

The Czechoslovak Group (CSG) has presented a new infantry fighting vehicle, the Pandur 8x8 EVO, developed by its subsidiary Tatra Defence Vehicle. The armored vehicle features electronic warfare capabilities to counter the threat of drones. It also includes a turret with a 30mm cannon and Spike-LR/LR2 anti-tank missiles.

“Testing involved live-fire scenarios where the system successfully detected, tracked, and neutralized simulated drone threats, confirming its capability to protect the vehicle in real-world conditions,” CSG spokesperson Andrej Čirtek told Counteroffensive.Pro.

Taking into account the realities of Russia’s war against Ukraine, the developers enhanced the vehicle’s ballistic and anti-mine protection. Ukraine may become the proving ground where the Pandur's capabilities are put to the test, Čirtek said. 

4. Ukrainian EW-resistant drone begins mass production

Ukrainian startup Buntar Aerospace has launched serial production of the Buntar-3 reconnaissance drone. Developers tested it on the frontline, where Russian forces are actively employing electronic warfare (EW). 

If the drone loses connection, it’s capable of moving away from the area affected by electronic warfare and continuing to work on a pre-planned mission, Bohdan Sas, co-founder of Buntar Aerospace, told Counteroffensive.Pro. The developers created software called Copilot to operate the drones.

The startup is scaling up its production line to fulfill the first contract and planned orders from the state. They declined to specify how many orders have been placed. 

Russians are now actively using drone interceptors against reconnaissance drones, but the Buntar-3 is flying at a higher altitude, Sas said.

“Through integration with DELTA [situational awareness system] and communication with related departments, the system receives data on the presence and activity of interceptors in near real time. This allows Copilot to automatically mark dangerous areas on the map and enables the operator to plan a route that takes risk zones into account,” he explained.

Ukrainian orders/legislation we’re tracking: 

By: Oksana Zabolotna

Intellectual Property Rights to Inventions Made by Military Personnel

Draft Law No. 13111 dated March 17, 2025

Why it’s important:

• Military personnel are not subject to the provisions of the Civil Code regarding the distribution of intellectual property. So this draft law closes a gap in regulating this sphere for service members. This will also allow inventors to receive compensation for their work, and the government to scale technological solutions for issuing licenses, the Ministry of Defense explained.

Proposals:

• The personal non-property rights, which include moral rights – such as the right to be recognized as the author of a work, and he right to object to its distortion, even if the economic right has been transferred, belong to the service member who created the object; 

• The usage, registration, and licensing rights belong to the state;

• The author of the invention or industrial design must notify in writing the commander of the unit about the invention. Then, the commander must forward this information to authorized representatives who will apply for state registration of the industrial design with the National Office for Intellectual Property and Innovations within four months from the date of receiving the notification; 

• The author of the invention can register the invention independently if the authorized body fails to apply within four months;

• The service member has the right to receive compensation for creating the invention;

• Unit commanders will be obligated to organize activities to encourage innovation and ensure future successful combat missions;

Link to Defense Tech:

This draft law establishes a legal framework for the protection and scaling up of Ukrainian military technologies, including drones and other solutions. 

The law will enable the state to formally acquire economic rights to such innovations, integrate them into the broader defense ecosystem, attract partners, investors, and manufacturers, and license technologies for production or export.

Stage: Adopted at first reading on May 14, 2025

Initiator: A group of 14 Members of Parliament from the “Servant of the People” faction, led by Roman Kalaur

What’s Next: On May 14, the draft law was adopted at first reading, and Members of Parliament had the opportunity to submit their proposals until May 28. After the proposals are reviewed by the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Economic Development, the draft law will be submitted to the plenary for consideration.

ON THE MOVE: Professional movement, promotions and industry news.

Know someone in the defense tech space who has made a professional move? Drop us a line at [email protected]! 

• Eugen Horoshko has joined Buntar Aerospace, an autonomous drone maker, as the head of marketing.

• Defence Builder, an acceleration program for startups, is seeking a program manager.A message from our sponsor:
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30 SECOND ELEVATOR PITCH:

Ukrainian startup Norda Dynamics is building autonomous navigation software for drones that eliminates dependence on GPS and video feed. Only 3 out of 10 drones reach their targets today. Norda’s system boosts this success rate to 80 percent by enabling optical navigation, autonomous targeting, and jamming resistance.

Norda’s software has already proven its efficiency under heavy modern warfare conditions and it’s easy to integrate. The team is now raising $1 million in investment, having already secured $500,000, to develop a fully autonomous drone system for mid- and deep-strike missions.

"It’s not just about guidance — it’s about a full set of autonomous features that help pilots hit the target. Helping the pilot reach the target is the core goal," said the Norda team.

MUST READS:

• Floor plans for Russia’s top-secret nuclear weapons facilities were found in a public database, according to Danwatch, a Danish independent media outlet. The documents reveal that Russia has expanded and modernized its underground missile sites.

• Ukraine and Germany have signed an agreement to invest in the development of Ukrainian-made long-range weapons systems. A significant tranche will be delivered by 2025. Berlin pledged to support the production of deep-strike drones Bars and Liutyi, and interceptor UAVs, Die Welt reported. Ukraine will also receive 4 IRIS-T air defense systems.

• Uzbekistan has unveiled a futuristic modernization of the Soviet-made T-64 tank by HAVZTEZ. The tank has improved armor, and its original Soviet engine was replaced with a Korean Doosan DP222LC.

• The Defense Procurement Agency has introduced a new process for purchasing drones. Now, there will be three different ways in which drones can be purchased for the military: direct procurement, framework agreement, or the DOT-Chain Defence marketplace.

• President Zelenskyy has ordered separate funding for the domestic ballistic missile program to accelerate missile production.

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