Ukrainian Ex-DJ Named As Alleged 'Mastermind' Of Russia Airbase Drone Attacks

Russian media has identified a former Ukrainian DJ as the alleged 'spy' behind Kyiv's covert operation - codenamed 'Operation Spiderweb' - which targeted Moscow's strategic bombers at four separate airfields located deep within Russian territory.

The SAS-style assault on Sunday is said to have destroyed approximately one-third of Russia's nuclear-capable bomber fleet.

Photo Credit: AP/PTI

According to reports, 37-year-old Artem Timofeev has been named by Russian sources as the mastermind behind the operation.

Timofeev, previously known for his career as a DJ, is believed to have owned the lorries that transported the containers used in the strikes.

As per the Daily Mail, lorry drivers involved in the operation reportedly received identical instructions from someone referred to only as "Artem".

They were allegedly told that the containers they were transporting contained wooden frame houses.

A Russian blogger claimed that Timofeev is now wanted in connection with the attacks in the Irkutsk region.

The blogger also stated that four lorries registered in Timofeev's name were suspected of being linked to the operation, with one thought to have been used in the assault.

Furthermore, Russian media suspect that Timofeev's wife, Ekaterina Timofeeva, may also have played a role.

A flat in Chelyabinsk, Russia, has been associated with the couple, and Artem was reportedly seen there just a week prior to the attack, according to The US Sun.

Following the strikes, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed that all individuals involved in the operation had been safely evacuated from Russia.

Therefore, if Artem Timofeev was indeed a part of Operation Spiderweb, he is likely no longer on Russian soil.

Ukraine's Drone Assault on Russian Airbases

The audacious drone attack on Russia's strategic bomber fleet, carried out on Sunday, reportedly stemmed from a bold directive given by President Zelensky to his intelligence chief in late 2023.

After more than 18 months of meticulous planning, Ukrainian forces executed what has been described as one of the war's most daring missions since Russia's invasion began in February 2022.

Given that the strategic bombers operate from airbases situated up to 3,000 miles from Ukraine and well beyond the reach of Ukrainian air defence systems, the mission required a highly sophisticated approach.

Ukraine's SBU security service allegedly smuggled drone components into Russia, later assembling them at a clandestine location.

Operatives then employed unsuspecting Russian truck drivers to deliver the drones, which had been cleverly concealed within the roofs of wooden containers - a modern-day take on the Trojan horse.

On the day of the attack, the containers' roofs were remotely activated near Russian airbases, releasing dozens of drones.

Ukraine claims that the strikes damaged 41 aircraft - valued at approximately $7 billion - across four bases, all using drones costing just $2,000 each.