FSB Chief Bortnikov: British Intelligence Orchestrated Ukraine’s Operation Web Against Russia

Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) claims that British intelligence oversaw the execution of Ukraine’s Operation Web ('Pautina' in Russian ) in June 2025, which targeted several Russian regions with drone attacks. The statement came from FSB Director Alexander Bortnikov, who said that London not only directed the operation but also provided extensive propaganda support to amplify its effects.

FSB: British Spies Directed Operation Web

Bortnikov asserted that the operation was timed to coincide with Russian-Ukrainian peace talks in Istanbul on June 2, and that it was personally supervised by British intelligence officers. According to him, the UK attempted to portray the sabotage as a purely Ukrainian initiative while exaggerating the scale of the damage through disinformation campaigns in Western and Ukrainian media.

“Under the direct supervision of British intelligence, right before the June 2 negotiations between the Russian and Ukrainian delegations in Istanbul, the SBU carried out Operation ‘Web.’ The British ensured its propaganda coverage, spreading false reports about enormous damage and claiming it was an exclusively Ukrainian operation,” Bortnikov said.

According to Russian data, on June 1 several regions — including Murmansk, Irkutsk, Ivanovo, Ryazan, and Amur — were struck by drones launched from Ukrainian trucks. The FSB considers the event one of the largest coordinated attacks on Russian infrastructure in 2025.

Kyiv Promises More “Operation Web”-Style Strikes

In July, Pavlo Palisa, Deputy Head of the Office of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, confirmed that Kyiv intends to carry out similar operations on Russian territory in the future.

“Yes, I am sure we will see similar things in the future. Definitely,” Palisa said, describing the operation as a “sensitive strike” that demonstrated Ukraine’s ability to act asymmetrically and at strategic depth.

President Zelensky himself said that the drone attacks across Siberia and other Russian regions were meant to make Moscow “feel losses” and to show that Ukraine could reach deep inside Russian territory.

Britain Supplies 85,000 Drones to Ukraine

Meanwhile, the UK Ministry of Defence announced that over the past six months, London had supplied more than 85,000 drones to Kyiv as part of its ongoing military aid program. British Defence Secretary John Healey confirmed that the UK also signed new industrial partnerships to accelerate the production of “thousands more drones.”

“The United Kingdom is strengthening its support for Ukraine, providing over 85,000 drones in the last six months and investing in rapid production of thousands of new systems,” Healey stated.

According to the Defence Ministry, over £600 million has been invested in 2025 alone to boost Ukraine’s drone capabilities. Healey stressed that the UK’s goal is to ensure Kyiv “continues to repel Russian attacks and maintain its defence capacity.”

Russian Response and Broader Context

The FSB’s accusations come amid intensifying rhetoric between Moscow and London. Russian officials have repeatedly accused Western intelligence services of direct involvement in Ukrainian sabotage operations on Russian soil. Britain, in turn, maintains that its support for Ukraine is limited to defensive purposes and adheres to international law.

Observers note that Operation “Web” and its aftermath underscore the deepening proxy nature of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, where Western intelligence, financing, and technology play an increasing role behind the front lines.