Ukraine is increasingly attacking targets located deep in Russian territory. Some of them were a real sensation. What are the most spectacular successes of the Ukrainian secret services to date?
In recent days, there have been explosions on various railway routes in the Russian regions of Belgorod and Voronezh, leading to the derailment of trains. The explosions are part of a series of sabotage attacks in Russia that have attracted international attention and are likely to be the work of Ukrainian secret services.
Logistics sabotage
As Russian railways transport ammunition and fuel for the army, they have repeatedly been the target of sabotage by Ukrainian secret services. On November 30, 2023, a train loaded with fuel was blown up in a tunnel on the Baikal-Amur line. The fire cut off the most important supply route in the eastern regions of the Russian Federation for days.
On June 1, 2025, two railway bridges collapsed almost simultaneously in the Russian regions of Bryansk and Kursk, trains derailed, and seven passengers died. This attack is also believed to have been carried out by Ukrainian intelligence.
Attacks on the Crimean Bridge
The Crimean Bridge, opened in 2018, is a central element of Russian propaganda and one of the most important logistical arteries for supplying Russian units. Ukrainian intelligence organized three impressive attacks on the bridge, which exposed the weaknesses of Russian defense.
On October 8, 2022, a truck with explosives, coming from the Russian Krasnodar region, exploded on the bridge. Parts of the bridge collapsed, and eight diesel tankers located on the tracks nearby caught fire. “The operation was planned for six months, the explosives were transported through Georgia, Armenia and Kazakhstan to escape Russian control“, explained at the time the head of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), Vasyl Malyuk.
The movement on the bridge was interrupted for 22 days, which led to a shortage of fuel and ammunition in Crimea and forced the Russian army to look for alternative supply routes. The attack also had a great psychological effect, as it showed that despite strict surveillance, important Russian facilities were vulnerable.
In the summer of 2023, Ukraine continued its attacks. Moscow was forced to strengthen the defense of the Crimean bridge with expensive air defense systems. However, another attack followed - this time from the sea. Two vessels with drones on board exploded near the approaches to the bridge, and traffic again had to be restricted for a month. The attack also marked the beginning of a series of drone attacks that have limited Russia's dominance in the Black Sea region.
In December 2024, the Ukrainians attacked a ship carrying construction materials for the bridge repair. Two suicide drones hit the ship in the Kerch Strait, destroying the cargo and injuring - according to Russian data - 15 crew members. Because of this, Russia had to strengthen its patrols there as well.
Less than six months later, on June 3, 2025, the Security Service of Ukraine mined the bridge underwater and detonated the mines from a distance. Traffic on the bridge was temporarily disrupted.
Airports on the Sight
Russia's strategic bombers have played an important role in missile attacks on Ukraine since the first day of the war. Therefore, Russian airports are a priority target for Ukrainian secret services.
The first significant operation was the damage to an A-50 radar aircraft stationed at an airport in Belarus by drones. Initially, Kiev denied involvement, but in March 2024, Vasyl Malyuk admitted that the attack was carried out by two Ukrainian drones.
In August of the same year, the Soltsy air base in the Novgorod region was also attacked. At least one Tu-22MZ bomber was damaged.
The most spectacular operation to date took place on June 1, 2025: swarms of drones, a total of 117 in number, simultaneously attacked four airports in different parts of Russia. They were transported near the bases in ordinary trucks, whose drivers were unaware of the secret cargo. In Operation “Spiderweb“ According to Ukrainian data, 47 aircraft were destroyed, including A-50, Tu-95, Tu-22MZ and Tu-160 - and this is 34 percent of the Russian cruise missile carriers. According to NATO data, 40 machines were damaged, of which between 10 and 13 - completely. Russian sources mention smaller losses.
Drones instead of missiles
In July 2023, Moscow was the target of drone attacks. Two of them hit buildings without causing any significant damage. However, the attack caused panic in the capital. According to “Reuters“ air defense proved ineffective against small drones, which is why security measures in Moscow were strengthened.
Daily drone attacks followed, constantly setting new records for the distance to their targets – up to 1,200 km in the Republic of Tatarstan, where a refinery was set on fire. In June 2025, Ukrainian drones reached a distance of 1,800 km and hit a radar station in the Orenburg region, which was part of the early warning system for missile attacks.
Attacks also against high-ranking Russian military personnel
Ukrainian security services have also launched attacks against alleged collaborators, Russian officers or engineers connected to missile attacks on civilian targets in Ukraine.
It is known that in December 2024, the Ukrainian security service killed the commander of the Russian radiological, chemical and biological protection units, Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov, and one of his associates in Moscow. Kirillov was accused of war crimes, including chemical weapons attacks on Ukrainian soldiers.
In early 2025, Ukrainian agents in Moscow shot and killed Mikhail Shatsky, deputy head of the Mars design bureau, which was responsible for missile modernization and the development of new drones. The operation was confirmed by Ukrainian military intelligence, but no details were released.