Egypt Daily News – Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has hailed a daring drone operation that devastated two of Russia’s most strategic airbases, calling it a “brilliant, historic” strike that will be remembered for generations. The audacious attack, targeting a base in eastern Siberia, thousands of kilometers from its borders, according to a source in the Ukrainian security services.
This comes after Ukraine announced that its territory was targeted overnight by 472 Russian drones, a record number since the start of the war, while Russian and Ukrainian delegations are expected to arrive in Istanbul on Monday for a second round of negotiations. Ukraine carried out the attack using a swarm of nearly 120 kamikaze drones, inflicted a stunning blow on Russia’s long-range bomber fleet, destroying what Ukraine claims to be over a third of the Kremlin’s strategic cruise missile carriers.
Dubbed “Operation Spiderweb,” the attack was coordinated by Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) and launched from the backs of trucks parked near the Olenya and Belaya airbases, both located thousands of miles inside Russian territory. The drones, each with its own pilot, reportedly struck more than 40 Russian aircraft, including Tu-95 “Bear” bombers, Tu-22M3s, and A-50 early warning planes. These airfields are crucial to Russia’s nuclear strike capabilities, making them previously considered “untouchable.”
Zelensky praised the operation as a landmark moment in Ukraine’s defensive campaign. “One year, six months, and nine days from the start of planning to effective execution,” he said in a social media post. “Our most long-range operation. These are Ukrainian actions that will undoubtedly be in the history books.”
According to the SBU, the strike destroyed 34% of Russia’s strategic cruise missile launch fleet, amounting to an estimated $7 billion in damage. The attack was so covert that the command center was reportedly set up “right next to the FSB”, Russia’s own security service in one of the regions involved. Ukrainian operatives were safely withdrawn before the operation was launched.
Russia’s defense ministry claimed to have “repelled” the attacks, describing the incident as a “terrorist operation” targeting multiple regions, including Murmansk, Irkutsk, Ivanovo, Ryazan, and Amur. However, dramatic footage showed massive fires burning for hours, and several independent reports and satellite images suggest extensive damage to exposed aircraft. In one account from Murmansk, drones began launching from a parked truck at a gas station, surprising local witnesses.
The attack has not only weakened Russia’s long-range bombing capability but also sent shockwaves through pro-Kremlin circles. Some Russian war commentators likened the event to “Russia’s Pearl Harbor,” calling it the “blackest day in Russian aviation.” Others, including analyst Vladislav Pozdnyakov, called for a nuclear response, citing Russia’s military doctrine, which allows the use of atomic weapons if critical military infrastructure is attacked.
NATO on High Alert Amid Russian Military Buildup
As Ukraine flexes its growing asymmetric warfare capabilities, NATO is watching with increasing concern. General Carsten Breuer, Chief of the German Armed Forces, warned that Russia’s military production, especially of tanks and artillery, is rapidly expanding. Moscow is now producing around 1,500 main battle tanks annually and manufactured over 4 million rounds of 152mm artillery shells in 2024 alone.
Breuer expressed alarm that much of this build-up does not appear destined for Ukraine, hinting at preparations for a future confrontation with NATO, particularly the vulnerable Baltic states. “There’s an intent and there’s a buildup of the stocks,” he said. “We must be ready by 2029. But could it happen earlier? Yes. So we must be able to fight tonight.”
He emphasized the vulnerability of the Suwalki Gap, a narrow strip between Poland and Lithuania that is viewed as a strategic weak point. “The Baltic States are really exposed to the Russians,” he added, citing Estonian officials who compared their situation to standing near a wildfire “feeling the heat, seeing the flames, and smelling the smoke.”
Former U.S. General David Petraeus echoed the warning earlier this week, naming Lithuania as the most likely target for a potential Russian test of Western resolve. Any incursion could serve as a precursor to a wider assault.
NATO Unity Tested
Breuer stressed the urgency for NATO countries to reverse decades of demilitarization and rearm quickly. “Ramp up get more into it because we need it. We need to be able to defend ourselves and build up deterrence.”
Despite increasing geopolitical tensions, Breuer reassured that NATO’s unity is strong. He pointed to the recent accession of Sweden and Finland as evidence that the alliance is coalescing, not fragmenting. “I’ve never seen such unity like it is now,” he said. “All understand the urgency and the need for collective defense.”
Still, internal divisions persist. NATO members Hungary and Slovakia have maintained closer ties with Moscow since the war began. Meanwhile, former U.S. President Donald Trump—likely a key player in NATO’s future depending on the 2024 election outcome, has frequently aligned himself with Russia on defense policy. Just recently, his Ukraine envoy, retired General Keith Kellogg, told ABC News that Russia’s demand for NATO to halt eastward expansion was a “fair concern.”
Conclusion
Operation Spiderweb may mark a turning point in Ukraine’s war strategy, leveraging ingenuity and precision to strike far beyond its borders. But it also escalates tensions with a nuclear-armed adversary, at a time when NATO’s internal cohesion is under scrutiny and Russia’s military capacity is swelling.
As Zelensky celebrates this “absolutely brilliant result,” the world is left grappling with a stark question: has this attack deterred Putin or provoked him further?
