Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) announced on 10/7 that agents seized 13 artificial intelligence-powered drones at a location in Rostov province, southwestern Russia.
"These devices were smuggled into Russia to attack the Rostov-on-Don North airbase in the provincial capital. Ukraine's Defense Intelligence Directorate (GUR) recruited a Russian citizen to carry out the attack, promising a reward if the plan succeeded," the statement read.
The man contacted by the GUR reported the plot to Russian law enforcement and cooperated with the investigation. This enabled the FSB to conduct counter-intelligence operations and trick Ukrainian intelligence into transferring 20% of the reward upfront. The man was exempt from criminal prosecution for voluntarily assisting authorities, according to Russian security.
Examinations showed that each drone could carry an improvised explosive device with a destructive power equivalent to more than one kg of TNT explosives.
The drones were equipped with an artificial intelligence-powered targeting system to counter electronic warfare measures. Russian experts stated that the AI models installed on these drones were trained at the National Aviation Museum of Ukraine at Zhuliany airport in Kiev.
"The plan to attack the Rostov-on-Don North airbase is part of a series of recent unsuccessful attack attempts by Ukraine, with support from Western countries," the FSB stated.
Russian security forces announced on 9/7 that they thwarted a plot to carry out "a series of unprecedented sabotage and terrorist attacks". The targets included military infrastructure, army officers, and a leading enterprise in the defense industrial complex.
Ukrainian officials have not commented on the information.
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Location of Rostov-on-Don city. Graphics: RYV |
The Rostov-on-Don North airbase is home to the 30th Independent Mixed Air Transport Regiment, which operates An-12BK, An-26, An-148, Il-20M transport aircraft, along with Mi-24 attack helicopters and Mi-26 transport helicopters.
Ukraine's Security Service (SBU) launched "Operation Spiderweb" in 6/2025, targeting a series of Russian strategic airbases. The operation involved deploying about 119 first-person view drones hidden in containers on trucks parked near these locations for attacks.
Ukraine claimed to have hit 41 Russian aircraft of various types and destroyed at least 13 aircraft. US officials estimated that only about 20 aircraft were hit, half the number claimed by Ukraine, with 10 of them destroyed.
Nguyen Tien (According to RIA Novosti, TASS, AFP, AP)
