What to know about Ukraine's stunning ‘Operation Spider Web'
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky quickly took credit for what he called 'Operation Spider Web,' a contrast with many of Ukraine's attacks inside Russia. He said 117 drones were used in the attack on Sunday, each with its own operator back in Ukraine.
Zelensky said the drone attacks took out nearly a third of Moscow's fleet of bomber aircraft, which has reined terror on his country for more than three years. Ukraine's security services said that 41 Russian aircraft were destroyed or damaged.
Russian military bloggers put the figure lower, with the prominent Rybar account saying 13 Russian aircraft were damaged.
Here's what to know about the stunning attacks:
Ukraine said 'Operation Spider Web' was started 18 months ago, in what military experts called a remarkable feat of logistics, espionage and military cunning.
The bomb-laden drones were hidden in what Reuters reported were the roofs of wooden sheds. These sheds were loaded onto 18-wheelers and parked near military bases as deep into Russia as Siberia. The roof panels were then remotely lifted up, so the drones could fly out and stealthily begin their attack.
The operation likely required recruiting Russians to assist throughout the smuggling network, without alerting Moscow's sprawling spy services.
It underlines how Ukraine has transformed modern warfare with its use of drones on the battlefield; one aspect of the war that does not rely on U.S. support.
Videos ricocheted across the internet after the attacks, showing explosions at air bases across Russia. Russia's defense minister said airfields were attacked in the Murmansk, Irkutsk, Ivanovo, Ryazan and Amur regions of the country.
The New York Times said it verified a video showing two drones take off from containers on the back of a semi-truck within four miles from a Russian military base, with smoke plumes visible in the distance.
Other images showed what appeared to be Tu-95 strategic bombers on fire.
The operation did not stop Russian and Ukrainian envoys from meeting for another round of talks on Monday, in which they were set to exchange broad plans to end the war. Zelensky said documents were swapped after the talks finished, and suggested a new prisoner swap is in the works.
If the scale of Ukraine's attack is confirmed, 'Operation Spider Web' could be Ukraine's most damaging drone attack of the war. Ukraine's security service estimated the strikes dealt Russia $7 billion in damage.
While experts say the operation could significantly degrade Russia's capacity to wage aerial assault on Ukraine, it is unlikely to shift Russian President Vladimir Putin's strategy or resolve.
Those involved in the attacks were withdrawn from Russia before they were carried out, Zelensky said.
However, Russia's defense ministry said it had detained an undisclosed number of 'participants in the terrorist attacks,' the Financial Times reported, citing state media.
Ukraine's air force said Russia launched 472 drones over Ukraine overnight on Sunday, in one of its largest drone attacks in the war, with explosions reported in the cities of Kharkiv and Zaporizhzhia, and strikes on at least 18 locations.
Neither Putin nor the Kremlin have publicly addressed the attacks, and state media outlets made little mention of them as of Monday morning EST.
President Trump was not informed ahead of time of the drone attacks, a Trump administration official told The Hill's sister network NewsNation on Sunday.
If Ukraine's timeline is correct, the plan was in the works when Trump told Zelensky in February that he had 'no cards' in negotiations to end the war.
Trump had not publicly remarked on the attacks as of 11 a.m. Monday.
Trump has ramped up criticism of Putin in recent days. The president last week wrote on social media that Putin had gone 'absolutely CRAZY' and warned he was 'playing with fire' with continued strikes on Ukrainian cities.
Ukraine, unlike Russia, has agreed to a U.S. proposal for an unconditional 30-day ceasefire. Kyiv has also signed a framework deal for the U.S. to recoup any future spending on Ukraine's military with proceeds from natural resource extraction after the war.
Trump has at times blamed Putin, Zelensky and President Biden for the war, and has warned the U.S. will walk away from peace talks if there's no progress toward a deal.
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CBS News
a few seconds ago
- CBS News
Gabbard barred sharing intelligence on Russia-Ukraine negotiations with "Five Eyes" partners
Washington — As Russia's war in Ukraine rages on despite high-level meetings to discuss a possible path to peace, CBS News has learned that Tulsi Gabbard, the director of national intelligence, issued a directive weeks ago to the U.S. intelligence community ordering that all information regarding the Russia-Ukraine peace negotiations not be shared with U.S.-allied intelligence partners. The memo, dated July 20 and signed by Gabbard, directed agencies to not share information with the so-called Five Eyes, the post-World War II intelligence alliance comprising the U.S., U.K., Canada, Australia and New Zealand, multiple U.S. intelligence officials told CBS News. They spoke under condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive national security matters. The officials said the directive classified all analysis and information related to the volatile Russia-Ukraine peace negotiations as "NOFORN," or no foreign dissemination, meaning the information could not be shared with any other country or foreign nationals. The only information that could be shared was information that had already been publicly released. The memo also limited distribution of material regarding peace talks to within the agencies that created or originated the intelligence. The memo does not seem to prevent the sharing of diplomatic information gathered by other means separate from the U.S. intelligence community, or military operational information unrelated to the talks — such as the details the U.S. shares with the Ukrainian military to aid in their defensive operations. Contacted by CBS News, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence referred questions to the White House, which did not respond. "In general, the value of the Fives Eyes intelligence partnership is that when we are making and they are making policy decisions, we can both augment each other's intelligence and therefore know more about the plans, intentions, and capabilities of our adversaries," explained Steven Cash, a former intelligence officer at the Central Intelligence Agency and Department of Homeland Security. "Among the reasons for that sort of default is the expectation that we and the other four are all sitting on the same side of the table with some other adversary on the other side," Cash said. He said it's important for the allies to have "a common intelligence picture" so policymakers and negotiators "can coordinate our positions and get the best deal we can, or fight the best war we can." Cash is the executive director of The Steady State, a nonprofit organization made up of former U.S. intelligence and national security professionals and government officials concerned with threats to American democracy. In March 1946, Winston Churchill spoke of the "special relationship" between the U.S. and the U.K. and the threat of the "Iron Curtain" that had "descended across the Continent." The United States and Britain first forged their intelligence alliance in secret, signing an agreement to pool information as a bulwark against the Soviet Union. Later, Canada, Australia and New Zealand joined the arrangement, transforming what began as a bilateral pact into the five-nation network that would come to be known as the Five Eyes. But now, nearly 80 years later, some former U.S. government officials warn that the breadth of Gabbard's order could undermine the intelligence community alliance — discouraging analysts from sharing insights and eroding trust among allies who have long relied on open exchanges to form a common picture of global threats and paths to successful negotiation. Cash and CBS News national security contributor Sam Vinograd, a former homeland security official, said Five Eyes often has intelligence that helps the U.S. produce comprehensive intelligence assessments, especially about Russia, given the access Five Eyes partners have to other intelligence sources. "Shutting our most trusted partners off from intelligence assessments could have a chilling effect on critical intelligence sharing if our partners believe they're being shut out of key access — including on key matters in their region. They could decide to take similar steps toward the U.S.," Vinograd said. She added, "Policy-wise, if our Five Eyes partners think they are being shut off from key information. They could choose to create new structures and channels without us. A lack of full collaboration with our closest partners could lead them to discuss matters impacting our national security without our input and perspective." Still, other former intelligence officers contend Gabbard's directive is commonplace within the U.S. intelligence community, and the criticism is much ado about nothing. They say both the U.S. and the other members of the intelligence alliance frequently withhold information from each other in diverging interest areas. Ezra Cohen, a Hudson Institute fellow who served as the acting undersecretary of defense for intelligence at the Pentagon, suggested that condemnation of Gabbard's memo likely stems from a dislike of Trump administration policies and her leadership as director of national intelligence. "There is a lot of information we do not share even with our Five Eyes partners, and it works in the reverse. There's a lot of U.K. eyes-only material. There's a lot of Australian eyes-only material," said Cohen. "Our interests are not always aligned with our Five Eyes partners," Cohen said. "And where we have diverging interests, and it's not just Ukraine, we absolutely mark things NOFORN." He admits it's possible the directive could result in depriving the U.S. of information, but maintains these types of decisions have historically been the norm between all of the Five Eyes members. He said the claim that the directive represents "a chilling of the relationship" between the U.S. and Five Eyes seems "a little bit like faux outrage." As intelligence work and diplomatic efforts continue, largely out of the public eye, the war in Ukraine continues to take a deadly toll. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned Moscow Thursday for launching hundreds of drones and dozens of missiles in an attack overnight, "as if nothing had changed at all. As if there were no efforts by the world to stop this war."
Newsweek
a few seconds ago
- Newsweek
Donald Trump Compares Himself to Richard Nixon in New Post
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. President Donald Trump drew comparisons with former Republican President Richard Nixon when he posted a photo of himself pointing at Russian President Vladimir Putin in a side-by-side with Nixon doing the same with Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev. Trump has previously compared himself publicly to Nixon in interviews, saying he learned from Nixon and contrasted his own political support to what he described as Nixon's lack of backing during his downfall, according to Forbes. Newsweek reached out to the White House by email on Thursday for comment. Why It Matters Trump met with Putin in Anchorage, Alaska, last week to discuss the invasion of Ukraine and seek a way towards a peace deal. Many criticized the president both for his red carpet rollout to greet the Russian president as well as the aftermath, which saw Trump walk away without a deal after saying that he would see such a result as a failure. The two world leaders spoke for two-and-a-half hours and addressed details of a potential ceasefire, and they took no questions immediately after the talks ended. US President Donald Trump smiles during a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and European leaders in the East Room of the White House in Washington, DC, on August 18, 2025. US President Donald Trump smiles during a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and European leaders in the East Room of the White House in Washington, DC, on August 18, 2025. Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images What To Know Trump has vigorously defended his summit with Putin, writing on Truth Social on Sunday: "It's incredible how the Fake News violently distorts the TRUTH when it comes to me. There is NOTHING I can say or do that would lead them to write or report honestly about me. I had a great meeting in Alaska on Biden's stupid War, a war that should have never happened!!!" However, the criticism has persisted even as Trump works towards a potential trilateral meeting that would bring Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky face-to-face for the first time since the invasion started in 2022. Trump again defended his "peace through strength" approach by posting a picture of himself and Putin in a mirror to one of Nixon and Khrushchev. He wrote nothing in the post. Photo comparison posted by President Donald Trump on Truth Social showing himself and Russian President Vladimir Putin in juxtaposition with a photo of President Richard Nixon meeting Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev. Photo comparison posted by President Donald Trump on Truth Social showing himself and Russian President Vladimir Putin in juxtaposition with a photo of President Richard Nixon meeting Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev. via President Donald Trump Truth Social On Truth Social, the president's native platform, many praised Trump with their own meme responses, with many of those posts repeating the "peace through strength" line that the president has used in the past while also denigrating former Democratic Presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden. On X, opinions varied more, with some finding the comparison unflattering – not because of Nixon's history, which saw him resign from the presidency after his involvement in the Watergate scandal emerged, but because of the way Nixon and Trump have each approached their respective Russian counterparts. Phillips P. Obrien, a professor of Strategic Studies at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland, wrote that the "remarkable thing about these pictures Trump just tweeted is that he thinks people won't see the difference between Nixon and Khrushchev disagreeing and he and Putin joking. Putin is clearly laughing." Another user highlighted that Khrushchev and Putin themselves are representative of different geopolitical approaches, with Khruschev responsible for returning Crimea to Ukraine while Putin annexed the region in 2014. What People Are Saying President Donald Trump, in a subsequent Truth Social message, wrote: "It is very hard, if not impossible, to win a war without attacking an invader's country. It's like a great team in sports that has a fantastic defense, but is not allowed to play offense. There is no chance of winning! It is like that with Ukraine and Russia. Crooked and grossly incompetent Joe Biden would not let Ukraine FIGHT BACK, only DEFEND. How did that work out? Regardless, this is a war that would have NEVER happened if I were President - ZERO CHANCE. Interesting times ahead!!! President DJT." Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky wrote on X, in part: "Now, each day carves out the contours of future security architecture for Ukraine. Weapons, funds, cooperation with partners, forces on the ground, in the air, and at sea. And every day, there will be new steps taken by partners to support Ukraine. Thank you to everybody helping." French President Emmanuel Macron earlier this week wrote on X: "In Washington, alongside President Zelensky and with our partners, we reiterated to President Trump our commitment to continue uniting our efforts for a strong and lasting peace that preserves Ukraine's interests and the security of Europeans. This peace will necessarily involve providing Ukraine with robust security guarantees, on which we have decided to work very concretely with the United States. It is also clear in our minds that pressure on Russia must continue as long as this peace has not been established."
Fox News
28 minutes ago
- Fox News
Melania Trump 'peace letter' to Putin hailed by Usha Vance, who calls her a 'trailblazer'
CANTON, GA. – Second lady Usha Vance hailed first lady Melania Trump as a "role model" and a "trailblazer" on Thursday when asked about Mrs. Trump's attention-getting "peace letter" earlier this week to Russian President Vladimir Putin. "I have admired her approach to a lot of things, but at the top of the list she really does care about children," Ms. Vance told Fox News Digital. The second lady was traveling to the Cherokee Classical Academy in Canton, Georgia, as she continued her 2025 Summer Reading Challenge program for kids. (See the video at the top of this article.) "She cares about their welfare," said Ms. Vance of Melania Trump. "And I think every time that she uses her voice to tell people how important it is to keep children safe and to make sure that they grow up happy and healthy, it's a good thing." She added, "So I see that as a role model." The letter sent by Mrs. Trump told the Russian leader that "it is time" to protect children and future generations around the globe. It was exclusively obtained by Fox News Digital. The letter was hand-delivered before the U.S.-Russia summit with President Donald Trump in Alaska on Friday. "I really admire that." "I don't have a specific letter or anything I am planning on writing at this time, but she's a trailblazer in that respect," said Ms. Vance about Melania Trump. "I really admire that." "Dear President Putin," the first lady's letter began, as Fox News Digital reported earlier. "Every child shares the same quiet dreams in their heart, whether born randomly into a nation's rustic countryside or a magnificent city-center. They dream of love, possibility, and safety from danger." "As parents, it is our duty to nurture the next generation's hope," the letter continued. "As leaders, the responsibility to sustain our children extends beyond the comfort of a few." "Undeniably, we must strive to paint a dignity-filled world for all — so that every soul may wake to peace, and so that the future itself is perfectly guarded," said the letter. "A simple yet profound concept, Mr. Putin, as I am sure you agree, is that each generation's descendants begin their lives with a purity — an innocence which stands above geography, government, and ideology." The first lady continued that "in today's world, some children are forced to carry a quiet laughter, untouched by the darkness around them — a silent defiance against the forces that can potentially claim their future." She added, "Mr. Putin, you can singlehandedly restore their melodic laughter." "In protecting the innocence of these children, you will do more than serve Russia alone — you serve humanity itself." "Such a bold idea transcends all human division, and you, Mr. Putin, are fit to implement this vision with a stroke of the pen today," she wrote. "It is time." The second lady's 2025 Summer Reading Challenge began in June. The initiative has been encouraging America's schoolchildren to read books all summer long, keep track of their progress and reap the benefits of reading. The second lady visited three different classrooms, watching lessons on writing and math. Ms. Vance on Thursday read "Paul Revere's Ride" by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow to a room of 200 students before taking questions. The second lady visited three different classrooms, watching lessons on writing and math. She greeted dozens of students along the way. Her Summer Reading Challenge ends on Sept. 5. Brooke Singman and Max Bacall, both of Fox News Digital, contributed reporting.
