Ukraine Destroys Dozens of Russian Bombers in Deep Strike Behind Enemy Lines

In an operation that left Moscow stunned and the international security establishment on high alert, Ukraine pulled off a devastating long-range drone attack deep inside Russian territory, striking at the very heart of Russia’s strategic bomber fleet and doing it just days before peace talks were set to resume in Istanbul.

Dubbed “Operation Spider’s Web,” the Ukrainian strike damaged or destroyed 41 Russian military aircraft including a third of Russia’s nuclear-capable cruise missile bombers inflicting an estimated $7 billion in damages. The operation marks the most severe breach of Russian airspace since the war began.

• The drones were smuggled into Russia disguised in truck containers and launched from portable sheds parked near five airbases across five Russian time zones.

• Targets included Olenya Air Base near Finland, Belaya in Siberia, and Dyagilevo and Ivanovo near Moscow, among others.

• Ukraine used 117 first-person view drones, attacking simultaneously and catching Russia’s defenses flat-footed.

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called the strike “our longest-range operation” and boasted that the mission was orchestrated from a building located near an FSB office, a deliberate jab at Russia’s failing security services. Ukrainian operatives reportedly evacuated just before the drones were launched, underscoring the precision and coordination of the operation.

And make no mistake: this wasn’t just a symbolic victory. The Tu-95 and Tu-22M3 bombers that were hit are Soviet-era aircraft with no replacement production lines, meaning each loss is likely permanent. A senior Russian military source reportedly called it a “black day for Russian long-range aviation.”

Russia’s response was predictably brutal 472 drones and ballistic missiles were launched into Ukraine in retaliation, killing at least 12 and wounding over 60. But the damage to Russia’s bomber fleet a critical component of its nuclear triad is already done.

The geopolitical implications of this strike are just beginning to unfold. According to NATO-aligned analysts, Russia's myth of invulnerability is cracking, and Ukraine’s reach now extends far beyond the front lines. The message is clear: Russian cities and strategic assets are no longer off-limits.

But perhaps the most consequential reaction will come from Washington.

President Donald Trump was not informed of the strike before it occurred, and sources say he was “furious” at the lack of communication. Trump has repeatedly stated that he intends to end the war quickly and decisively. He has criticized both Putin and Zelenskyy for prolonging the bloodshed and has floated economic punishments for countries enabling Russia’s war economy.

Last month, Trump lambasted Putin for having “gone absolutely CRAZY” and warned that Zelenskyy’s belligerent rhetoric was “doing his country no favors.” His pressure for a ceasefire and direct negotiations has grown louder by the day.

Meanwhile, Senators Lindsey Graham and Richard Blumenthal are pushing a 500% tariff on goods from countries buying Russian energy a bill Trump has yet to endorse, but one that could become a powerful leverage point if peace talks falter.

At the same time, Ukraine has offered a more pragmatic roadmap in Istanbul: a 30-day ceasefire, prisoner exchanges, and the return of kidnapped children. But they remain adamant on keeping their military strength and won’t recognize Russia’s illegal annexations. Russia, for its part, still demands that Ukraine abandon NATO ambitions and cede control of the Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia oblasts.

It’s an ugly stalemate. But the drone strike may shift the balance. Russia's air defenses were breached, its bombers are burning, and its aura of military supremacy is in tatters. That changes the math and could push Putin toward a deal.

This is the reality President Trump inherits as he leads America back into serious global leadership. Unlike Biden, whose empty rhetoric did nothing to prevent war or protect American interests, Trump is putting results first. His administration is already leveraging economic tools, diplomacy, and strength not appeasement to put an end to this bloody and unnecessary war.

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