Russia Just Lost 36% of Strategic Aviation in One Day

You don't need Tauruses when you have brain

36%

That’s the percentage of Russian strategic aviation destroyed by Ukraine in one day. I repeat, one day.

Better still, one hour!

All thanks to operation “Spider Web,” which saw a swarm of Ukrainian drones, hidden inside regular trucks’ compartments, destroy Russia’s strategic planes on five different airfields — some located as far as 4300 kilometers away from Ukraine.

The Russian Pantsir SAM system turned out to be completely useless against FPV drones, while electronic warfare systems were either absent or nonfunctional.

As a result, Ukraine hit at least 27 Tu-95 aircraft — and possibly a nuclear missile cruiser in Severomorsk as well. Several A-50 and Tu-22M3 aircraft were also damaged.

Wow, wow, wow.

It’s a shock. So big of a shock that the Russian bloggers are calling 1 June 2025 Russia’s “Pearl Harbor.”

And I really can’t blame them. Though Japan’s attack was unprovoked, and Ukraine’s was very much the opposite, its outcome has proved the unimaginable: Kyiv can reach Russia’s nuclear triad and even destroy it.

I repeat, we’re talking about the nuclear triad, Russia’s ultimate might and force, which is very limited. The entire aerial component of the Russian nuclear triad consisted of 58 Tu-95 bombers, 16 Tu-160 bombers, and 58 Tu-22M3 bombers. Russia also had 10 A-50 airborne early warning aircraft in service.

But how did Ukraine make this happen?

It’s outmanned, outgunned, its economy is in poor shape, and it doesn’t have cards.

The answer is simple: by using its brain.

According to every parameter out there, Russia should have occupied all of Ukraine a while ago. But it didn’t because its power is based on two pillars: complete disregard for human lives and high volumes of military production. These may have worked well in the past, including in WWII and the Chechen wars, but not in modern warfare.

Modern warfare revolves around technology, and technology revolves around access to brains, none of which Russia possesses.

Ukraine, however, does.

Already in 2022, it started to attract major investments in its technology sector, especially in the production of drones. The endeavor only amplified when Russia switched to the war of attrition, in which Ukraine cannot and will not prevail, at least not in the sense of full victory.

Now it's entering a fully fledged mode.

Ukraine’s attack on Russia’s nuclear triad is part of the emerging pattern that seeks to put an end to the war of attrition that started after it successfully used drones to down a jet fighter — a first-of-its-kind operation.

But Kyiv’s ambitions do not stop there. It trains its drones with AI so that they identify targets and finds ways to penetrate Russia’s territory deep, sowing panic among the ordinary Russians.

Will it instantly change the situation on the battleground?

No.

But will it change the dynamic and the negotiations with Moscow?

Likely yes.

It’s no coincidence that Ukraine launched its strike on Russia’s nuclear triad on the eve of its meeting with the Russian delegation in Istanbul.

The first round of the talks proved that Moscow, despite controlling less territory than in 2022, continues to live in denial, demanding the full capitulation of Ukraine and threatening to conquer more Oblasts (though it can’t even conquer the ones partially occupied).

Ukraine’s message is clear: “forget about all these crazy demands — or face serious consequences. And mind you, we don’t need Tauruses to do that.”

Naturally, I don’t expect Russia to publicly acknowledge the colossal damage during negotiations.

In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if they came up with even newer and more delusional demands, especially since they refused to send their Memoranda’s version in advance. But that in no way changes the reality, which isn’t rosy for Russia.

Losing 36% of strategic aircraft in one hour — and 50% of combat-ready warplanes — is a major blow. Russia is incapable of producing the destroyed Tu-22M3 and Tu-160 aircraft from scratch. In fact, the last completed models were laid down during the Soviet era.

Meanwhile, the U.S. is growing increasingly frustrated with Putin, and the language, both from the White House and other agencies, is turning sour.

It is unlikely that Senator Lindsey Graham and Senator Richard Blumenthal’s travel to Kyiv on the eve of the attack is coincidental. Both are the authors of the bone-crushing sanctions on Russia, with Graham being Trump’s close ally.

If the Senate’s pro-Ukraine leader John Thune puts them up for a vote, there’s a good chance that Trump will sign it off, claiming in his self-style that he has nothing to do with it.

Last but not least.

While the Spider Web operation has resulted in a brilliant outcome, it also showed that Ukraine’s sense of humor is very much Mossad-like, as on June 1, Russia celebrates the Day of Military Transport Aviation Formation.

Internet users are comparing the Beeper and Spider Web’s operations

Which leaves me saying: Happy Military Transport Aviation Formation, Rassiya!