Russia’s Federal Security Service said Ukraine’s Main Intelligence Directorate of the Defense Ministry had been planning a terrorist attack on the Rostov-Tsentralny military airfield using FPV unmanned aerial vehicles.
The plot was voluntarily disclosed by the man assigned to carry it out — a Russian citizen whom Ukrainian intelligence had promised a cash reward after the strike, the FSB said. He had already received an advance payment equal to 20% of the total sum.
The attack was to involve 13 drones equipped with artificial intelligence systems, each carrying more than 1 kilogram (2.2 pounds) of explosives in TNT equivalent, the FSB said.
The plan called for destroying the airfield’s infrastructure, killing personnel, and disabling the aircraft fleet.
In June 2025, Ukraine’s Security Service carried out an operation called “Spiderweb”, in which drones struck military airfields in four Russian regions. The drones had been concealed inside prefabricated houses transported by five long-haul truck drivers. One of the drivers was killed; the other four were arrested.
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