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First Post
a day ago
- Politics
- First Post
The reason Ukraine chose June 1 for Spider Web drone attack on Russia
The drones were activated precisely 29 years after June 1, 1996, the date when Ukraine officially completed the transfer of its last nuclear warheads to Russia, thereby becoming a non-nuclear weapons state under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty read more A screenshot from a video of the alleged attack released by the SBU on June 1, 2025 (Source: Ukraine's Security Service via Kyiv Independent) On June 1, Ukraine launched a massive drone strike against Russian airbases storing nuclear-capable long-range bombers. The operation, nicknamed 'Spider Web,' featured over 100 unmanned aerial vehicles and was personally supervised by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Ukraine's Security Service (SBU) coordinated the attack after more than 18 months of meticulous preparation and coordination. The timing of the strike was deeply symbolic. The drones were activated precisely 29 years after June 1, 1996, the date when Ukraine officially completed the transfer of its last nuclear warheads to Russia, thereby becoming a non-nuclear weapons state under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD This followed the signing of the Budapest Memorandum on December 5, 1994, in which Ukraine agreed to relinquish the world's third-largest nuclear arsenal inherited after the Soviet Union's collapse. In exchange, the United States, the United Kingdom, and the Russian Federation provided security assurances, pledging to respect Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity and to refrain from the use or threat of force against its political independence. When the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991, Ukraine acquired the world's third-largest nuclear arsenal. Although the warheads were manufactured in Russia, Ukraine's control over them gave it significant strategic leverage, until they were surrendered under the terms of the Budapest Memorandum. The execution of Operation Spider Web reflected a high degree of technical sophistication. According to military sources, first-person view (FPV) drones were smuggled into Russia, concealed within mobile wooden structures mounted on trucks. At the designated moment, the roofs of these mobile units were remotely opened, allowing the drones to launch and strike intended targets. The scope of Operation Spider Web was evident almost immediately after it started, since reports of explosions were received in many time zones throughout Russia, ranging from the Amur area, more than 8,000 kilometres from Ukraine, to Murmansk, located above the Arctic Circle in the extreme north. Ukraine chose June 1 for this coordinated attack in an effort to emphasise the repercussions of breaching international agreements in addition to causing harm to vital military installations. The operation was a clear reminder of the Budapest Memorandum signatories' eventual broken commitments, especially in light of Russia's continued aggressiveness.
Time of India
2 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Game of drones: Season 3
AI-powered drones, as used by Ukraine deep in Russian territory, are here. India must invest in R&D In a first-of-its kind operation, Ukrainian forces launched a massive drone attack on Russia's bomber fleet, reportedly destroying more than 40 heavy aircraft. In what is being dubbed as Russia's 'Pearl Harbour' moment, the strikes took place at airbases thousands of kilometres away from the Russia-Ukraine frontline. The drones were smuggled into Russia and placed close to their targets on trucks. On Sunday, they were activated – exactly 29 years to the day when Ukraine handed over its last nuclear weapons to Russia as part of the Budapest Memorandum. It now appears that the drones were trained on AI algorithms to identify Russian bomber aircraft and hit them in their most vulnerable parts. Ukraine's 'Operation Spider's Web' again highlights how much drones have transformed warfare. In the Ukraine war, drone innovation is changing in weeks. If 2024 was the year of First-Person-View (FPV) drones, 2025 till last week belonged to fibre-optic FPV drones – an innovation by Russian forces – that are immune to electronic countermeasures. Ukraine now has levelled up with AI-powered drones. Given these developments, the war has ensured that AI-driven, autonomous weapons systems are no longer decades away. They are here. And it's not just aerial UAVs, but also sea drones like Ukraine's Magura and UGVs like Estonia's THeMIS – mini tank-like tracked platforms – that are increasingly being enabled by AI to perform autonomous swarm or group tasks. China recently unveiled an array of bird-mimicking drones or ornithopters that evade human and radar detection. To stay ahead of the curve India too needs to heavily invest in drone R&D. Op Sindoor gave us enough reasons to pursue this course. Plus, if drones worth just a few thousand dollars can take out millions of dollars worth of bombers, innovation becomes critical. But it also enhances asymmetric warfare and longevity of conflicts. That's why the second round of talks between Ukraine and Russia in Türkiye, has again failed to produce a ceasefire. Facebook Twitter Linkedin Email This piece appeared as an editorial opinion in the print edition of The Times of India.
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Politics
- Daily Mail
How Zelensky's men plotted 'Op Spider's Web' that blew $7bn hole in Putin's 'irreplaceable' nuke bomber fleet: Experts praise 'genius' attack but warn of 'violent' response from humiliated Kremlin
It was a top-secret operation some 18 months in the planning. Codenamed 'Spider's Web', it was executed with devastating effect yesterday afternoon and was as audacious as it was genius. And as Volodymyr Zelensky said, just one day before Ukrainian and Russian delegates were set to meet for negotiations in Turkey's capital Istanbul, the attack on Vladimir Putin's irreplaceable nuclear bombers 'will undoubtedly be in [the] history books'. The attack on the Russian bomber fleet came exactly 29 years to the day after Ukraine handed over dozens of the same strategic bombers to Russia, along with up to 2,000 strategic nuclear warheads and 176 ICBMs in exchange for a promise not to be attacked, under the Budapest Memorandum. First Ukrainian special forces smuggled dozens of first-person view (FPV) kamikaze drones – which allow pilots to control them remotely through a live feed – into Russia. Then came mobile wooden cabins, whose roofs had hidden compartments into which the small flying weapons were stashed. They were loaded on to civilian trucks heading into enemy territory, their hired local drivers seemingly unaware of what they were carrying. Finally, yesterday afternoon, with all the lorries within range of five airfields stretching from northern Russia down to Siberia – a safe 2,500 miles from Ukraine – they struck. The roofs of the wooden cabins were opened remotely and the FPV drones took to the skies. With the help of front-positioned cameras, the missile-loaded drones headed straight for Russia's highly expensive bomber planes. Footage showed decimated enemy planes in flames on the runway and last night Ukrainian security sources claimed to have taken out 41 aircraft worth some £1.5billion. These, they say, include the nuclear capable Tu-95 and Tu-22M as well as the surveillance A-50 'Mainstay' plane, worth an estimated £250,000 that is used as a radar and command centre, of which Russia is only believed to have around ten in operation. 'Mainstays' are critical to coordinating Russian fighter jets and air defences, meaning that this will have severely hampered Putin's war effort. Moscow has long stopped producing any of these aircraft meaning, if confirmed, these assets could not be replaced. There are only around 120 Tu-95s and Tu-22Ms in operation and they are vital for Vladimir Putin 's nightly bombing raids on Ukraine. They had been moved to bases thousands of miles away from Ukraine, out of reach of Western-donated Storm Shadows and ATACMS which have a range of up to 185 miles. The FPVs, which can reach just 12 miles, would have been the last thing on Russian minds. The attack drew comparisons to the 1942 SAS raid on the Sidi Haneish airfield in Egypy, when elite British commandos put 40 Luftwaffe aircraft out of action using jeeps mounted with machine guns. While the attack wasn't a pivotal moment in the Desert War, it massively boosted British morale and disrupted Axis logistics in North Africa. It was also one of the pivotal events that helped forge the legendary status of the SAS. Former RAF pilot and military analyst Mikey Kay told the BBC: 'The Russians would never have expected something like this. 'I mean, it's genius, if you think about just the devastating effect that it's had on strategic assets of Putin.' Philip O'Brien, professor of strategic studies at St Andrews University said the raid was 'the most remarkable and successful operation of the war.' He added: 'This is a big blow to Russian strategic air power, which is hard to overestimate. 'We do not know what the Russian reaction will be, however we can assume it will be violent.' A Telegram channel called Fighterbomber, widely believed to be run by Captain Ilya Tumanov of the Russian Army, wrote of the attack: 'Today will later be called a black day for Russian long-range aviation. And the day is not over yet.' Military blogger Roman Alekhin said the incident will go down as 'Russia's Pearl Harbour'. Mr Zelensky, who is said to have overseen the operation over the last year and a half, celebrated the strike on social media last night. The Ukrainian president wrote: 'A result achieved solely by Ukraine. One year, six months, and nine days from the start of planning to effective execution. Our most long-range operation.' He added: 'These are Ukrainian actions that will undoubtedly be in [the] history books.' A delegation from Kyiv is due to meet counterparts from Moscow for a second round of peace talks in Istanbul today but it was not clear last night if it would still go ahead. Ukraine has said that its proposals will include a full 30-day ceasefire followed by the return of all prisoners held by each side. Negotiators also want some 20,000 Ukrainian children who were kidnapped by Russia to be repatriated before Mr Zelensky and Putin meet. Russia has so far refused to agree to a 30-day pause in fighting and overnight on Saturday launched its largest strike of the war so far with 472 drones and seven missiles. Kyiv's Operation Spider's Web struck Belaya air base in the Irkutsk region of Siberia; Dyagilevo air base in Ryazan, western Russia; Olenya air base in Murmansk, northern Russia; and Ivanovo air base in Ivanovo, central Russia. The fifth air base was yet to be identified last night. The operation, led by Mr Zelensky and security service boss Lieutenant General Vasyl Malyuk, marks the first time Ukraine has struck targets inside Siberia. Kyiv put the cost of the damage at more than £1.5billion because each A-50 aircraft is valued at around £260million. Last night Russia was arresting the truck drivers, but hours earlier Ukraine had reported that its agents were safely home. FPV drones usually need a pilot within six miles which suggests Ukrainians may have been close to the airfields during the strikes. Hours before the drone strikes a wave of bomb attacks targeted Russian bridges and railway lines in regions bordering Ukraine. Russia declared them 'acts of terrorism' with seven killed and dozens injured when a passenger train travelling to Moscow was derailed by a collapsed bridge in Bryansk on Saturday night. Hours later, in neighbouring Kursk where Ukraine launched its major cross-border incursion last August, a freight train was derailed by another fallen bridge. A Russian missile strike on a Ukrainian army training area killed at least 12 soldiers yesterday and wounded more than 60 others, the Ukrainian army said. Kyiv has carried out a series of daring attacks on Russia since the start of the war, with one of first being the counter-offensive which liberated the city of Kherson in November 2022. Ukrainian armed forces also took swathes of territory in Kursk last August in what was the first occupation of Russian land since the Second World War.
Sky News AU
27-05-2025
- Politics
- Sky News AU
Former White House press secretary Sean Spicer says Ukraine-Russia war 'very personal' issue for President Donald Trump
A former staffer has given an insight of Donald Trump's recent criticism of Vladimir Putin, hinting more could be said after the United States President was "taken advantage of". The leader of the free world blasted President Putin following Moscow's reportedly largest aerial attack on Ukrainian cities, killing at least 13 people on Monday. President Trump - who had spoken to his Russian counterpart on the phone for two hours just last week - was furious about the bombardment on the war-torn nation. 'I've always had a very good relationship with Vladimir Putin of Russia, but something has happened to him. He has gone absolutely CRAZY!' he wrote on Truth Social. 'I've always said that he wants ALL of Ukraine, not just a piece of it, and maybe that's proving to be right, but if he does, it will lead to the downfall of Russia!' Sean Spicer, the commander-in-chief's former White House press secretary during his last term - told Sky News that President Trump is "rightfully upset". "The deal that was on the table is frankly the best and most generous deal that Putin could and should ever get... And I think the idea that you could walk away with some of this land that you've annexed under your control is probably the best deal... considering the 1994 Budapest Memorandum that we are party to, right?" he said to Andrew Bolt. "So, the idea is that we're willing to make these concessions about Ukraine's NATO membership the status of some of the annexed land. I get why Trump's furious." Mr Spicer added that President Trump was "proud" there had been no major incursion in the 40 years leading up to his first term but that changed with Joe Biden. The Republican had vowed during the US election campaign that he could end the war "on day one" if he won presidency, which was some months ago. "Trump is saying, 'I'm going to go in and I want to make peace. I want you to end the killing and the destruction'. And he gave what I would say is a very long leash," he said. "I've witnessed first-hand how he is personally affected by the innocent killing of individuals, whether it's Americans or people in Syria or around the world. "So I know that this is a personal issue for him. "And I think that he views this as, 'hey, Vladimir I gave you a long leash. I gave the most favourable term you could ever get, and you've taken advantage of me'." Mr Spicer predicted the President will make it known how much it is a personal issue for him "in the next week or so" which he hoped will be "beyond social media posts". President Trump had first told reporters in New Jersey that he did not know "what the hell happened" to President Putin, speaking about Monday's aerial attacks. He went on to say he had known the Russian leader "for a long time" but "sending rockets into cities and killing people... I don't like it at all". Asked by a journalist if he would consider slapping further sanctions against Russia, President Trump said it is "absolutely" a consideration. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov made light of the remarks, saying it came from "emotional overload" but insisted Russia is "grateful" for his help to end the war.
Irish Daily Mirror
26-05-2025
- Politics
- Irish Daily Mirror
Vladimir Putin's chilling nuclear threat as he locks horns with the West
Vladimir Putin has sent a shiver down the spine of the Western world with his statement: "there has been no need to use (nuclear) I hope they will not be required". As Russia's conflict with Ukraine drags on into its fourth year, the Russian leader made the comment in a propaganda documentary celebrating 25 years at the helm. With an arsenal of 5,449 nuclear warheads, Russia boasts the most substantial stockpile of atomic firepower on the planet, deployable via missiles, subs, and aircraft. Security analysts have voiced concerns that Putin, who has gained notoriety for dodging peace talks, is not reliable in his promises or actions. He has escalated tensions by putting his nuclear forces on "combat duty" and redefining the threshold for using these weapons from facing annihilation to threats against the nation's sovereignty, reports the Express. However, despite this unsettling posturing, the autocrat, who came to power upon Boris Yeltsin's stepping down in 1999, declared: "We have enough strength and means to bring what was started in 2022 to a logical conclusion with the outcome Russia requires." In a bold move last November, Putin revised Russia's nuclear strategy document, detailing when he can call upon Moscow's nuclear capabilities, extending the scenarios to include non-nuclear strikes from a nuclear state. Marking a first in his presidential tenure, Putin has essentially put his nuclear forces on alert, signalling a clear readiness for conflict. No other state has deployed nukes since the US used them in WWII against Hiroshima and Nagasaki, ending approximately 200,000 lives instantly. The International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons [ICAN] confirms America's arsenal includes a staggering 5,277 warheads. The vast majority of nuclear arms are held between Russia and the US, claiming close to 90% of the world's active military slocks. China, France, the UK, Pakistan, India, Israel, and North Korea are the only other countries with access to such destructive firepower. Geneva's ICAN warns: "A single nuclear warhead could kill hundreds of thousands of people, with lasting and devastating humanitarian and environmental consequences. Detonating just one nuclear weapon alone over New York would cause an estimated 583,160 fatalities." ICAN reports: "Combined, China, France, India, Israel, North Korea, Pakistan, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States possess over 12,300 nuclear weapons, most of which are many times more powerful than the nuclear weapon dropped on Hiroshima. Thirty-two other states are also part of the problem, with six nations hosting nuclear weapons, and a further 28 endorsing their use." Following the breakup of the Soviet Union, Ukraine surrendered its 1,900 strategic nuclear warheads after the 1994 Budapest Memorandum, whereby Russia and America vowed not to invade—the nukes were returned to Russia. Dr Patricia Lewis from Chatham House has sounded the alarm on the potential use of nuclear weapons by Russia, asserting: "It was believed that if Russia were to use nuclear weapons it would likely be in Ukraine, using short range, lower yield 'battlefield' nuclear weapons. Russia is thought to have more than 1,000 in reserve. These would have to be taken from storage and either connected to missiles, placed in bombers, or as shells in artillery." She further highlighted a shift in Moscow's menacing language, noting: "Increasingly the rhetoric from Russia suggests nuclear threats are a more direct threat to NATO – not only Ukraine – and could refer to longer range, higher yield nuclear weapons." Dr Lewis also pointed out the absence of nuclear posturing from NATO, stating: "There have been no expressed nuclear weapons threats from NATO states. NATO does rely on nuclear weapons as a form of deterrence and recently committed to significantly strengthen its longer-term deterrence and defence posture in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The Labour government has repeatedly reiterated its commitment to British nuclear weapons – including before the general election." Meanwhile, the Stockholm Institute of Transition Economics reports that Russian economy is tottering under sanctions, finding itself in an "increasingly precarious state". Whilst appearing outwardly stable, experts suggest the Russian economy actually masks deep-seated instability, with underlying imbalances and structural weaknesses steadily worsening. The European Union has enforced 17 rounds of sanctions on Russia since the Ukraine war began in February 2022, primarily targeting Moscow's key revenue streams - oil, gas, and coal exports. Other Western nations, including the US, Canada, the UK, and Japan, have also imposed sanctions. In an attempt to downplay the effectiveness of Western sanctions, Russia claims its gross domestic product (GDP) grew by 4.3% in 2024, following a 3.6% expansion in 2023. Meanwhile, tensions between the East and West continue to escalate, with Donald Trump announcing plans to make the proposed €208 billion Golden Dome missile defence programme "fully operational" by 2029. This programme aims to develop ground and space-based capabilities to detect and intercept missiles at all stages of a potential attack, including before launch, during the initial stages of flight, mid-course, and in the final minutes before impact. The Pentagon has long warned that China and Russia's latest missile developments are so advanced that updated countermeasures are necessary. Both nations have deployed offensive space-based assets, such as satellites capable of disabling critical satellites, leaving the US vulnerable to attack. Last year, the US alleged that Russia was developing a space-based nuclear weapon that could linger above the Earth before releasing a burst to take out surrounding satellites. Mr Trump, who instructed the Pentagon to develop space-based interceptors via executive order at the start of his presidency, revealed he has not yet discussed Golden Dome with Putin. However, in a joint statement earlier this month, China and Russia described the concept as "deeply destabilising in nature", cautioning it would transform "outer space into an environment for placing weapons and an arena for armed confrontation."
