Meet the Mastermind Behind Ukraine’s Daring Drone Strikes on Russian Airbases

Vasyl Maliuk, the head of Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU), has emerged as the architect of one of Kyiv’s most ambitious sabotage operations to date—an audacious drone strike that targeted five Russian strategic airbases in a single night.

On June 1, the SBU announced the launch of Operation “Spider Web,” claiming it had struck 41 aircraft and destroyed 13 across multiple bases. The operation marked a bold expansion of Ukraine’s asymmetric warfare tactics, reaching deep into Russian territory.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky praised Maliuk as the strategist behind the mission, describing him as a "hands-on commander" who personally oversaw the planning and execution.

From Anti-Corruption Officer to Ukraine’s Top Spy

Maliuk, 42, grew up in Zhytomyr, west of Kyiv, and began his career as a professional soldier. He fought in the Donbas conflict after Russia’s 2014 invasion, before transitioning to intelligence work. His entry point was in the defense ministry’s anti-corruption unit.

By 2020, Maliuk had become head of Ukraine’s Department for Combating Organized Crime, laying the groundwork for covert operations inside Russian territory. In July 2022, Zelensky dismissed longtime ally Ivan Bakanov as head of the SBU and replaced him with Maliuk, who at the time was serving as interior minister. After a six-month trial period, Ukraine’s parliament confirmed him as SBU director in February 2023.

While the SBU’s traditional focus is domestic counterintelligence and anti-corruption, under Maliuk it has transformed into a hybrid security and special operations force.

Building a Shadow Network

Zelensky tasked Maliuk with turning the SBU into an elite counterintelligence force capable of “eliminating espionage networks at their root.” In partnership with private firms like Mantis Analytics and Griselda, the agency began monitoring social media to track down pro-Russian sympathizers within the government and military.

Maliuk launched a sweeping anti-spy campaign, leading to 7,000 investigations in just 18 months and identifying 330 individuals allegedly collaborating with Russian intelligence. He personally oversaw the arrests of former Crimean official Oleg Kulinich, anti-terrorism chief Dmytro Kozyura, and pro-Russian oligarch Viktor Medvedchuk.

In mid-2024, Maliuk declared that the SBU had dismantled 11 active Russian spy networks operating within Ukrainian institutions.

From Spy Hunting to Battlefield Strikes

Under Maliuk’s leadership, the SBU has expanded far beyond surveillance. Its elite Alpha Group has been transformed from a limited counterterrorism unit into a strike force capable of sabotage, targeted assassinations, and forward reconnaissance.

Alpha operatives now coordinate with Ukraine’s military intelligence (GUR) and Special Operations Forces (SSO) to direct drone attacks, disable enemy communications, and eliminate high-value targets behind enemy lines. The unit is believed to have carried out several assassinations of Russian officers and officials in occupied territories.

Maliuk also spearheaded the expansion of Alpha Group into a division-sized force. In July 2023, SBU operatives used two suicide drones to destroy a section of the Kerch Bridge, which links Crimea to mainland Russia. The agency claimed responsibility 10 days later, confirming that Maliuk had overseen the development of the maritime drone used in the attack.

In March 2024, a Russian court issued an arrest warrant for Maliuk over his alleged role in the Crimea bridge attack. Moscow later requested his extradition via Belarus—a demand Kyiv flatly rejected.

The Spider Web Strategy

One of Maliuk’s boldest shifts has been the reactivation of pre-war smuggling and sleeper networks deep inside Russia. These covert teams conduct reconnaissance and help transport weapons close to target sites—capabilities believed to be essential to the success of Operation Spider Web.

“The enemy thought they could strike Ukraine endlessly without consequences,” Maliuk said after the June 1 drone campaign. “That era is over. We can now hit back and destroy the enemy anywhere.”

Sources: Kyiv Post, The Telegraph

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