Ukraine bribes Russian customs officials in Spider's Web operation — SBU chief

He shared the information with journalists, as reported by RBC-Ukraine.

“The time we spent preparing and carrying out the Spider's Web operation: one year, six months, and nine days,” Maliuk emphasized.

In particular, the Ukrainian side deployed 117 unique drones with specially designed cumulative-fragmentation warheads. According to Maliuk, these UAVs look ordinary but are equipped with special armaments. Each has two cumulative-fragmentation warheads with a total weight of 1.6 kg, capable of piercing aircraft hulls and exploding inside to inflict maximum damage.

The primary targets for Kyiv were fuel tanks, missile bays, and avionics systems for which the Russian army has no equivalents.

Maliuk highlighted that a key feature of the Spider's Web operation was the complex logistics of delivering the UAVs and specialized equipment deep into occupied territory.

To achieve this, autonomous “cabins” with solar panels and charging systems were used—capable of operating in extreme conditions, including temperatures as low as -50°C.

The SBU chief also emphasized the need to circumvent sanctions during the operation. Some components and technologies were under sanctions, making it necessary to find complex delivery routes, which included corrupt dealings with Russian customs officials.

He also noted that most participants in the operation were unaware of its purpose or full scope, which helped preserve secrecy. Some handled drone construction, others managed logistics, while operators received specific targets without further context.

“You see, this is the tip of the iceberg in terms of our unique logistics, drone deployment, intelligence methods, remote operations, and artificial intelligence. And it was in the Spider's Web operation that all of it came together,” Maliuk stated.

What is known about the SBU’s Spider's Web operation:

On June 1, 2025, the Ukrainian Security Service conducted a major operation called Spider's Web aimed at destroying Russian bomber aviation. It is known that 40 aircraft were damaged.

According to the Security Service, the estimated value of Russia's strategic aviation affected by the special operation amounts to 7 billion dollars.

Meanwhile, the Russian Defense Ministry stated that all terrorist attacks at military airfields in the Ivanovo, Ryazan, and Amur regions were repelled.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked SBU Head Vasyl Maliuk for the operation’s results. He noted that the “office” of the SBU operation in Russia was located right next to the FSB administration in one of the regions. A total of 117 drones were used in the operation.

The head of the Center for Countering Disinformation, Andrii Kovalenko, later reported that at least 13 Russian aircraft were destroyed and even more were damaged in the large-scale SBU operation.