A UKRAINIAN tennis star turned soldier said he helped devastate $5 billion worth of Russian war power, over a decade after beating Roger Federer at Wimbledon.
Alpha commando Sergiy Stakhovsky revealed his role behind the masterful Operation Spiderweb, which left Vladimir Putin‘s precious fleet of bombers in tatters.
PASergiy Stakhovsky famously beat Roger Federer at Wimbledon[/caption]
AFPHe’s now a commando in the elite Alpha unit[/caption]
Elite unit SBU Alpha destroyed over $5 billion worth of Russian equipment and tore through plants, refineries, and other major infrastructure.
The skilled contingency also delivered Operation Spiderweb, a stunning SAS-style drone blitz which left Putin utterly humiliated.
Sergiy said the sneak attack was worth $7bn (£5.2bn) in damage to Russia – caused by just 117 cheaply made drones.
The covert drone plot – 18 months in the planning – targeted four airfields deep inside Russia, and is reminiscent of the most daring raids of WW2 that turned the tide against the Nazis.
Putin’s doomsday bomber fleet was crippled with 41 – a third of the total – of his most prized aircraft left lying in smouldering wrecks on the tarmac.
He told United24: “These are top-level operations. It’s always satisfying to read the panic in Russian pro-war channels. Makes you smile.”
The sportsman joined the war effort in 2022 after a successful career in tennis, which saw him beat sporting legend Roger Federer.
He first served in the mortar crew before working with small drones – driving Ukraine‘s increasingly mammoth aerial operation.
In March, he helped destroy a missile stockpile at a Russian airbase just 750km from Ukraine.
“Small groups can do big things”, he said, adding that recruitment standards were high even for a professional athlete like himself.
THRIVING TENNIS STAR
Sergiy previously slammed athletes who defended Wimbledon and other LTA tournaments‘ decision to ban Russians and Belarusians from competing.
He condemned Tottenham boss Antonio Conte for “not understanding the situation” after the football head said he sympathised with Russian athletes.
The Italian said it was “sad” and “unfair” that some Russians were banned from competing in sport – such as the Men’s national football team who were bidding to qualify for the 2022 World Cup.
He also piled on Rafael Nadal who said the ban was “very unfair” and it was “not their fault what’s happening in this moment with the war.”
Sergiy tweeted Nadal directly and said: “Rafa, we competed together.
“We’ve played each other on Tour. Please tell me how it is fair that Ukrainian players cannot return home?”
In other tweets, Stakhovsky said: “If anyone could please find a quote where Russian or Belarus players condemn the invasion in Ukraine?
“Did they say that bombing major cities in Ukraine (full of civilians) is a barbaric act?”
“Did they condemn the invasion into a sovereign country?
“And don’t tag the “no war” or “stop war” (signs) because these statements sound like if the Ukrainians stopped fighting the war would stop.
“How it is fair that Ukrainian kids cannot play tennis? How is it fair that Ukrainians are dying?”
APSergiy at Wimbledon during his successful tennis career[/caption]
GettySergiy during military training[/caption] Published: [#item_custom_pubDate]
