A Ukrainian drone attack has destroyed billions of dollars worth of Russian aircraft stationed at bases across the country, including at locations as far away as Siberia, in what Kyiv claims is its longest-range assault of the war.

The spectacular operation, known as Spiderweb, was prepared in secret over 18 months. Ukraine’s agents moved short-range drones and explosives inside Russia before they were launched remotely for a coordinated strike on Sunday that was intended to strike at Moscow’s air superiority.

Vasyl Maliuk, the head of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), said drones were smuggled into Russia and placed inside containers, which were later loaded on to trucks.

With the trucks positioned near Russian bases, the roof panels of the containers were lifted off by a remotely activated mechanism, allowing the drones to fly out and begin their attack. The drones had first-person view, or FPV, technology that allowed them to be operated remotely, probably from Ukrainian territory.

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