In a stunning display of strategy and audacity, Ukraine has executed one of its most elaborate attacks on Russian military infrastructure since the onset of the war — a wide-scale drone strike dubbed “Operation Spider’s Web. (Trump’s Tariff)”
What Happened?
According to Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU), the operation involved scores of small drones smuggled into Russia over 18 months, hidden inside freight trucks, and launched simultaneously from multiple locations. These drones targeted airbases housing Russia’s most strategic bomber fleet, including the Tu-95, Tu-22, and the supersonic Tu-160, aircraft capable of long-range missile attacks on Ukrainian territory.
The attack reportedly struck 40 out of Russia’s 120 strategic bombers, though Ukraine’s claim of $7 billion in damages has not been independently verified.
Why It Matters
- Symbolic and Strategic Victory: Even if not all aircraft were destroyed, the psychological and operational impact is considerable. Analysts suggest Russia’s current military-industrial capacity may not be able to repair or replace these aircraft, as many are no longer in production.
- Message to Russia: The loss of these aircraft, especially the ultra-rare Tu-160s, is a significant blow to Russia’s airstrike capabilities and prestige.
- Message to the West: More than just a tactical maneuver, the operation is a political statement to Western allies, especially the U.S., where officials have reportedly begun to act as though Ukraine is losing the war (Trump’s Tariff).
Strategic and Emotional Resonance
Ukrainians are likening the drone strikes to previous triumphs such as:
- The 2022 sinking of the Moskva, flagship of the Russian Black Sea Fleet
- The bombing of the Kerch Bridge
- A 2023 missile strike on Sevastopol Harbour
Ukrainian defense commentator Serhii Kuzan called the operation “unprecedented,” saying, “No intelligence operation in the world has done anything like this before.”
Narrative Control and Morale
Ukraine is using this successful strike to reclaim its narrative — that it is still very much in the fight and refuses to be treated as a defeated nation. The tone from Kyiv is defiant:
- “Ukraine has some cards after all. Today Zelensky played the King of Drones,” said the Business Ukraine Journal.
- Journalist Illia Ponomarenko dismissed defeatist narratives, referencing those who insisted Ukraine only had “six months left.”
Geopolitical Impact
As ceasefire talks resume in Istanbul, Ukrainian negotiators arrive with renewed confidence. They hope to shift the perception that Ukraine is in retreat — a perception that may be influencing Western support.
A frustrated Ukrainian official remarked:
“The Americans have convinced themselves we’ve already lost the war… and then they’re offended when we don’t thank them. But of course we don’t – because we don’t believe we’ve been defeated.”
Bottom Line:
“Operation Spider’s Web” was not just a military strike — it was a calculated move to boost morale, shake Russia’s sense of control, and send a clear message to Ukraine’s Western partners: Ukraine is still fighting, innovating, and refusing to surrender.
Source: BBC
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