Talk about your modern-day David versus Goliath stories. It seems that a $400 Ukrainian drone has taken out a $300 million Russian early warning and control aircraft. The Beriev A-50 is sometimes referred to as Russia’s “eye in the sky”. Its NATO reporting name is Mainstay.

The Fall of the Mainstay

In a move that would make even the most seasoned war strategists do a double-take, Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) executed Operation Spiderweb on June 1, 2025. This audacious operation saw over 100 first-person-view (FPV) drones, some costing as little as $400, launched from concealed positions deep within Russian territory. Their targets: major Russian airbases, resulting in the destruction or damage of at least 41 aircraft, including the prized Beriev A-50 “Mainstay” airborne early warning

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