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Ukraine launched a massive drone strike deep inside Russian territory over the weekend, reportedly destroying or disabling more than 40 military aircraft in what pro-Moscow commentators are calling a “Russian Pearl Harbor.”
The operation targeted Russia’s nuclear-capable bombers and command jets across four strategic airfields, costing the Kremlin an estimated $7 billion in damages, according to Kyiv officials.
The covert operation, dubbed “Operation Spider’s Web,” involved Ukrainian first-person-view (FPV) drones that had been smuggled into Russia over a period of 18 months and hidden inside wooden cabins mounted on trucks.
Once activated, the drones took flight directly from Russian soil and struck targets across multiple regions—including Irkutsk in Siberia, Murmansk in the Arctic Circle, Ryazan, and Ivanovo.
Among the destroyed aircraft were TU-95 “Bear” bombers, TU-22 “Backfire” strike bombers, and A-50 “Mainstay” command-and-control planes—vital components of Russia’s long-range and nuclear strike capabilities. Kyiv claims the strike took out more than one-third of Russia’s strategic bomber fleet.
Video circulating on social media shows flames engulfing rows of bombers at one of the bases, underscoring the scale of the surprise attack.
Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) reportedly coordinated the mission, and President Volodymyr Zelensky oversaw the operation personally. Zelensky later boasted that the command center operated “right next to” the building housing Russia’s secret police.
Notably, Ukraine did not give President Trump or his administration any advance notice of the planned assault, despite ongoing U.S.-backed negotiations aimed at ending the war. The drone strike landed just a day before scheduled peace talks between Russian and Ukrainian officials in Istanbul.
President Trump, who spent Sunday morning golfing with Bryson DeChambeau in Virginia, has pushed for a ceasefire and recently said Ukraine had agreed to his proposed terms. Russia, however, has not formally responded.
Some have speculated that Ukraine’s distrust of Washington under the current administration—exacerbated by public clashes between Trump and Zelensky—may have factored into the decision to keep the operation secret.
Trump has repeatedly voiced frustration with both Putin and Zelensky. In a recent statement, he said, “This isn’t my war. This is Biden’s war, Zelensky his war, and Putin’s war. This isn’t Trump’s war.” He has also criticized Russia’s escalating brutality toward civilians, calling Putin “crazy” and warning that the Kremlin leader is “playing with fire.”
Meanwhile, the strike appears to have intensified calls in Congress for additional sanctions on Russia. Senators from both parties have suggested taking up new legislation when the Senate returns. Over $175 billion in U.S. aid has already been sent to Ukraine, including nearly $67 billion in military support since the war began in 2022.
As Ukraine demands a full Russian ceasefire and the return of abducted children, it remains to be seen how this high-stakes escalation will affect the prospects for peace or President Trump’s efforts to bring both sides to the negotiating table.