Latest news with #Spiderweb
Hindustan Times
6 days ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Mikhail Komin on why the Arctic is Putin's next front
ONE OF UKRAINE'S most consequential operations of 2025, dubbed Operation Spiderweb, stood out not just for the heavy damage it inflicted with cheap drones, or the morale it boosted, but for striking at a core belief of Vladimir Putin's regime: the invulnerability of Russia's nuclear forces. Ukrainian drones reportedly destroyed or disabled a dozen strategic nuclear bombers. Ten days later, at a meeting on Russia's weapons programme, Mr Putin pointedly stressed the centrality of the 'nuclear triad' of land-, sea- and air-launched weapons as a long-term guarantor of sovereignty. The message was subtle but clear: in the wake of Spiderweb, the Kremlin appeared to shift its emphasis away from exposed bombers and towards submarines. That same month, the Northern Fleet received the Knyaz' Pozharsky, a new ballistic-missile submarine, further cementing the role of Arctic-based subs as the backbone of Russia's second-strike capability. Russia's Arctic strategy has long been shaped by two deep-seated insecurities. One is the fear of losing military dominance as melting ice erodes the country's natural defences and NATO's presence expands—particularly after Finland and Sweden joined the alliance, in 2023 and 2024 respectively. The other is economic: Russia remains eager to access Western technologies to extract hard-to-reach Arctic hydrocarbons, and to re-enter Western markets. Achieving either would require at least a partial easing of sanctions. Recent research a colleague and I conducted for the European Council on Foreign Relations, including interviews with Russian officials working on Arctic affairs, shows that these insecurities are intensifying. Operations like Spiderweb only reinforce the Kremlin's view of the Arctic as a strategic priority second only to Ukraine. Russia is set to deepen its investment in Arctic civilian and dual-use infrastructure—real spending is already up by 80% over the past three years in addition to the unknown amount of military expenditure. Simultaneously, it is viewing almost every remaining aspect of Arctic policy through a national-security lens, turning previously neutral domains such as climate science and indigenous affairs into instruments of state strategy. This trajectory poses three serious risks for all Arctic countries in the coming decade—but particularly for Europe, which remains reliant on American military support in the region, a commitment that now appears less assured. First, if a direct military confrontation between Russia and Europe does occur—a scenario increasingly entertained by both Russia and NATO—it is unlikely to begin in Poland or Moldova. The more probable flashpoints are in the Barents or Baltic Seas, putting the Nordic and Baltic states on the front line of any future aggression. Even before its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the Kremlin began reviving the Soviet-era 'Bastion' concept—remilitarising the Arctic coastline to ensure that air, naval and ground forces could shield Russia's nuclear submarines operating in this region. Since 2022, Russian military drills in the region have shown a marked north-eastward shift, away from the Norwegian Sea to the Barents Sea. These reflect a growing paranoia within the Kremlin about the vulnerability of its Arctic nuclear deterrent. Should Russia become convinced that war with NATO is inevitable, it is likely to strike first in the Arctic. A 'pre-emptive' special military operation would aim to secure strategic assets in the High North. The Kremlin would see securing its Arctic nuclear forces as essential to retaining, as in Ukraine, the upper hand in controlling escalation through the implicit threat of a nuclear strike. The growing influence over Arctic policy of Nikolai Patrushev, a former chief of the FSB, Russia's domestic-security service, and long-serving secretary of Russia's Security Council, is another source of concern. Since taking over the Maritime Board in mid-2024, Mr Patrushev, a hardliner and key architect of the Kremlin's anti-Western ideology, has pushed for more aggressive hybrid operations. On his watch, these campaigns are likely to intensify across northern Europe, aiming to test NATO's red lines and to expose perceived vulnerabilities in Western societies. At the same time, the Kremlin is weaponising issues that are nominally apolitical and deeply valued in Europe. Since 2022 it has tightened its grip on NGOs representing Arctic indigenous communities, deploying them in international forums—such as UN committees—as part of a reputation-laundering campaign. Western governments, wary of deepening rifts within these communities, have often felt compelled to play along. A similar tactic has emerged around climate policy: in what appears to be retaliation for sanctions and diplomatic isolation, Russia has stopped sharing important data on Arctic ice melt, undermining global understanding of climate change. What was once an area of pragmatic co-operation is now treated as a tool of strategic leverage. The third—and potentially most consequential—risk for Europe lies in the real possibility that Russia succeeds in turning a Republican administration's Arctic ambitions to its own advantage. Since initial contacts with Washington in February, Russia has promoted the idea of mutually beneficial co-operation in the High North. To support this, the Kremlin set up a new fund to attract foreign investment in Arctic projects, placing it under Kirill Dmitriev, a veteran of back-channel diplomacy. With Arctic LNG-2, a big liquefied-natural-gas project in Russia, still crippled by sanctions, Moscow is eager for at least a temporary reprieve. To entice the Trump administration, Mr Putin may offer the promise of a 'grand bargain' in the region—an informal understanding to divide spheres of influence. Two great powers, each satisfying its own imperial instinct in the Arctic, while sidelining other players and international law. Such a scenario would leave Europe trapped between two assertive poles and unable to mount an effective response. Even if America eventually gives up hope of a settlement with Russia over Ukraine, this darker prospect may still survive. To keep Donald Trump engaged—and thus constrained in his willingness to put pressure on the Kremlin—Mr Putin will need a new, bold idea capable of capturing his imagination. The Arctic may be the perfect vehicle. Mikhail Komin is a fellow at the Centre for European Policy Analysis.
Scottish Sun
23-06-2025
- Politics
- Scottish Sun
Putin will exploit Middle East chaos to hit Europe with never-seen-before attack, Ukraine warns as tyrant meets Iranians
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) VLADIMIR Putin could be plotting to exploit the crisis in the Middle East to launch an attack on Europe, a Ukrainian government insider has warned. The alarm was raised as today Putin became the first world leader to meet the Iranians after US President Donald Trump launched a wave of strikes on the Ayatollah's nuclear sites. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 7 Vladimir Putin is feared to be plotting an attack on Europe Credit: Getty 7 Putin met today with the Iranians Credit: Reuters 7 An explosion of a drone lights up the sky over the city during a Russian drone strike in Kyiv Credit: Reuters 7 Planes are left burning on a runway during operation Spiderweb, which Putin could take inspiration from Russia has warned Trump has opened up a "Pandora's Box" with his B-2 bomber blitz over the weekend - which Vlad himself slammed as "unprovoked aggression", despite his own illegal war in Ukraine. However, a senior Ukrainian insider warned Putin will be rubbing his hands with glee as he plans to exploit the crisis while the West's eyes are turned to the Middle East. The cunning tyrant may even attempt to mimic Ukraine's elaborate Spiderweb operation that blitzed strategic targets inside Russia. A Ukrainian source told The Sun: "The West should be prepared that the Spiderweb operation may be reconfigured and deployed by Russia as a hybrid attack on any Nato Eastern flank nation. "That would be the major Article 5 test that the Alliance has not experienced yet." Humiliated Putin was left reeling after Ukraine's spectacular raid that - after 18 months of planning - inflicted billions of pounds worth of damage, leaving his bomber fleet in tatters. Daring agents smuggled drones and explosives deep inside the sprawling country before unleashing a coordinated assault on June 1. More than 100 drones were hidden in trucks across Russia before being deployed to five air bases - thousands of kilometres from the Ukrainian border. At least 41 of Putin's prized aircraft were wrecked in the attack - including Tu-95, Tu-22M3, and Tu-160 bombers and A-50 spy planes. Delivering such a decisive blow has left Ukraine's enemy scrambling. Bodies pulled from under rubble after Vladimir Putin bombs Kyiv killing 28 as EU chief says 'fight or learn Russian' But a Ukrainian government insider has warned it would also have left Putin's cronies eager to learn from the clandestine operation - and look to mimic it. The source said it could spell disaster if Vlad uses it as a blueprint to launch an attack on a European country. They told The Sun: "We have seen how quickly Russia managed to adapt and learn from Ukraine. "It's not only Nato states that are learning lessons from Ukraine, it's the adversaries too. "There was a time when Russia was two months behind Ukraine in its drone technology, now it is ahead with fibreoptic drones. "Ukraine is catching up and trying to develop techniques to best tackle those. "We have already seen Russian espionage and sabotage acts in Europe. "We can now be almost 100 per cent sure that they have taken on the Spiderweb as an example of something they can mimic in, for example, one of the Baltic states. "That's where the attribution of the operation will be very hard to achieve, but the consequences could be quite significant both for the country/countries in question and for the unity of Nato." The insider believes conniving Putin could sign off an assault while world leaders grapple with the spiralling conflict in the Middle East. With the Trump administration turning its sights to Israel and Iran, and security challenges in China, Europe has largely been left to fend for itself. After more than a week of Israel and Iran trading blows, Trump unleashed bombs on three nuclear sites in Iran - with Tehran threatening to retaliate. 7 Combat work by an M109 A3 gun crew on June 17, 2025 near Kostiantynvka, Ukraine Credit: Getty 7 It comes as the EU's top diplomat warned Moscow has a plan for long-term aggression against Europe. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas last week said Putin's determination to throw huge sums of money at his military suggests he is scheming to use his armed forces elsewhere. She pointed to the fact Russia is spending more on defence than the EU's 27 nations combined. Megalomanic Putin is set to invest more on defence than his nation's heath care, education and social policy combined, Kallas said. She warned lawmakers in Strasbourg, France: "This is a long-term plan for a long-term aggression. You don't spend that much on military if you do not plan to use it. "Europe is under attack and our continent sits in a world becoming more dangerous." Both Kallas and the Ukrainian source noted a series of acts of sabotage and cyberattacks - including Russian airspace violations and attacks on energy grids, pipelines and undersea cables. The insider added: "Russia never misses out on devious and cunning techniques. Especially with the upcoming Nato summit. 'UK must bolster defence or pay will blood of its people', Penny Mordaunt warns by Katie Davis, Chief Foreign Reporter (Digital) BRITAIN will pay with the blood of its people if more money isn't spent to bolster the UK's defence, Penny Mordaunt has warned. The ex-defence secretary has urged the government to "wake up" and fund the UK's security properly before it's too late. Former Navy reservist Mordaunt argued that Britain is "emboldening our enemies" if we fail to invest in other forms of deterrence. She warned the consequences with be "incalculably grave" if the government does not open up the treasury purse. Ms Mordaunt told The Sun: "I'm confident that if you prepare for war, you invest in it, you train for it, then conflicts don't start. "Because your foes know it is not worth them doing that. They're going to lose. "The consequences of retaliation against them are too great." READ MORE HERE "During last year's summit, China was conducting military exercises in Belarus, sending a clear signal. "Russia may be distraught with the fact that one of its strongest allies in this war against Ukraine is getting bombarded, but at the same time, they may well use the opportunity of Europe being distracted and the US fully withdrawn to conduct a hybrid attack on Europe." Acts of sabotage have previously been pegged at attempts to undermine Europe's support of Ukraine by military officials and experts. But there are fears Russia could test Nato's Article 5 security guarantee that pledges an attack on any of the allies would be met with a collective response. And with no sign of a peace deal being thrashed out between Moscow and Kyiv despite international pleas after more than three years of war, an assault on the EU appears to loom closer. Germany's foreign intelligence service (BND) Bruno Kahl last week warned against underestimating Russia's threat to the West. He told the Table Today podcast: "We are very certain, and we have intelligence evidence for this, that Ukraine is just a step on the path to the West. "They want to catapult Nato back to the state it was in at the end of the 1990s. They want to kick America out of Europe, and they'll use any means to achieve that." It comes as Nato heads of state are set to meet at a crunch two-day summit this week in The Hague - with setting a new target for allied defence spending the primary issue up for discussion. Allied nations are expected to agree a new defence investment pledge and pour billions of dollars into elevating security-related spending.
The Irish Sun
23-06-2025
- Politics
- The Irish Sun
Putin will exploit Middle East chaos to hit Europe with never-seen-before attack, Ukraine warns as tyrant meets Iranians
VLADIMIR Putin could be plotting to exploit the crisis in the Middle East to launch an attack on Europe, a Ukrainian government insider has warned. The alarm was raised as today 7 Vladimir Putin is feared to be plotting an attack on Europe Credit: Getty 7 Putin met today with the Iranians Credit: Reuters 7 An explosion of a drone lights up the sky over the city during a Russian drone strike in Kyiv Credit: Reuters 7 Planes are left burning on a runway during operation Spiderweb, which Putin could take inspiration from Russia has warned Trump has opened up a "Pandora's Box" with his B-2 bomber blitz over the weekend - which Vlad himself slammed as "unprovoked aggression", despite his own illegal war in Ukraine. However, a senior Ukrainian insider warned Putin will be rubbing his hands with glee as he plans to exploit the crisis while the West's eyes are turned to the Middle East. The cunning tyrant may even attempt to mimic Ukraine's elaborate Spiderweb operation that blitzed strategic targets inside Russia. A Ukrainian source told The Sun: "The West should be prepared that the Spiderweb operation may be reconfigured and deployed by Russia as a hybrid attack on any Nato Eastern flank nation. More world news "That would be the major Article 5 test that the Alliance has not experienced yet." Humiliated Putin was left reeling after Ukraine's spectacular raid that - after 18 months of planning - inflicted billions of pounds worth of damage, leaving his bomber fleet in tatters. Daring agents smuggled drones and explosives deep inside the sprawling country before unleashing a coordinated assault on June 1. More than 100 drones were hidden in trucks across Russia before being deployed to five air bases - thousands of kilometres from the Ukrainian border. Most read in The Sun At least 41 of Putin's prized aircraft were wrecked in the attack - including Tu-95, Tu-22M3, and Tu-160 bombers and A-50 spy planes. Delivering such a decisive blow has left Ukraine's enemy scrambling. Bodies pulled from under rubble after Vladimir Putin bombs Kyiv killing 28 as EU chief says 'fight or learn Russian' But a Ukrainian government insider has warned it would also have left Putin's cronies eager to learn from the clandestine operation - and look to mimic it. The source said it could spell disaster if Vlad uses it as a blueprint to launch an attack on a European country. They told The Sun: "We have seen how quickly Russia managed to adapt and learn from Ukraine. "It's not only Nato states that are learning lessons from Ukraine, it's the adversaries too. "There was a time when Russia was two months behind Ukraine in its drone technology, now it is ahead with fibreoptic drones. "Ukraine is catching up and trying to develop techniques to best tackle those. "We have already seen Russian espionage and sabotage acts in Europe. "We can now be almost 100 per cent sure that they have taken on the Spiderweb as an example of something they can mimic in, for example, one of the Baltic states. "That's where the attribution of the operation will be very hard to achieve, but the consequences could be quite significant both for the country/countries in question and for the unity of Nato." The insider believes conniving Putin could sign off an assault while world leaders grapple with the spiralling conflict in the Middle East. With the Trump administration turning its sights to Israel and Iran, and security challenges in China, Europe has largely been left to fend for itself. After more than a week of Israel and Iran trading blows, 7 Combat work by an M109 A3 gun crew on June 17, 2025 near Kostiantynvka, Ukraine Credit: Getty 7 It comes as the EU's top diplomat warned Moscow has a plan for long-term aggression against Europe. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas last week said Putin's determination to throw huge sums of money at his military suggests he is scheming to use his armed forces elsewhere. She pointed to the fact Russia is spending more on defence than the EU's 27 nations combined. Megalomanic Putin is set to invest more on defence than his nation's heath care, education and social policy combined, Kallas said. She warned lawmakers in Strasbourg, France: "This is a long-term plan for a long-term aggression. You don't spend that much on military if you do not plan to use it. "Europe is under attack and our continent sits in a world becoming more dangerous." Both Kallas and the Ukrainian source noted a series of acts of sabotage and cyberattacks - including Russian airspace violations and attacks on energy grids, pipelines and undersea cables. The insider added: "Russia never misses out on devious and cunning techniques. Especially with the upcoming Nato summit. 'UK must bolster defence or pay will blood of its people', Penny Mordaunt warns by Katie Davis, Chief Foreign Reporter (Digital) BRITAIN will pay with the blood of its people if more money isn't spent to bolster the UK's defence, Penny Mordaunt has warned. The ex-defence secretary has urged the government to "wake up" and fund the UK's security properly before it's too late. Former Navy reservist She warned the consequences with be "incalculably grave" if the government does not open up the treasury purse. Ms Mordaunt told The Sun: "I'm confident that if you prepare for war, you invest in it, you train for it, then conflicts don't start. "Because your foes know it is not worth them doing that. They're going to lose. "The consequences of retaliation against them are too great." "During last year's summit, China was conducting military exercises in Belarus, sending a clear signal. "Russia may be distraught with the fact that one of its strongest allies in this war against Ukraine is getting bombarded, but at the same time, they may well use the opportunity of Europe being distracted and the US fully withdrawn to conduct a hybrid attack on Europe." Acts of sabotage have previously been pegged at attempts to undermine Europe's support of Ukraine by military officials and experts. But there are fears Russia could test Nato's Article 5 security guarantee that pledges an attack on any of the allies would be met with a collective response. And with no sign of a peace deal being thrashed out between Moscow and Kyiv despite international pleas after more than three years of war, an assault on the EU appears to loom closer. Germany's foreign intelligence service (BND) Bruno Kahl last week warned against underestimating Russia's threat to the West. He told the Table Today podcast: "We are very certain, and we have intelligence evidence for this, that Ukraine is just a step on the path to the West. "They want to catapult Nato back to the state it was in at the end of the 1990s. They want to kick America out of Europe, and they'll use any means to achieve that." It comes as Nato heads of state are set to meet at a crunch two-day summit this week in The Hague - with setting a new target for allied defence spending the primary issue up for discussion. Allied nations are expected to agree a new defence investment pledge and pour billions of dollars into elevating security-related spending. 7
The Guardian
16-06-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
Operation Spiderweb: how Ukraine's drone attack could reshape warfare
On 1 June, Ukraine launched a daring attack on Russian military bases, inflicting billions of dollars of damage using inexpensive drones in a secret operation codenamed Spiderweb. Smuggling 117 drones into Russian territory over 18 months, the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, proved he still had cards to play in the war. The Guardian's Russian affairs reporter Pjotr Sauer explains how the daring operation will make military commanders across the world rethink national security
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
3 killed, 68 hurt as Russia pummels Ukraine's Kharkiv, Kherson regions
June 11 (UPI) -- Three people were killed and at least 68 injured in Ukraine overnight after Russian forces hit civilian targets across the frontline regions of Kharkiv and Kherson with artillery fire, guided bombs and drones, authorities said. Two of the fatalities and 60 of the injuries, including nine children, occurred in Kharkiv city but seven other communities were also attacked, with at least five people injured, Gov. Oleh Syniehubov said in an update on Telegram on Wednesday morning. The third person killed was a 65-year-old man who died in a specialist burns unit in the hospital after being seriously injured in drone strikes on Kharkiv that damaged nine apartment buildings, three private homes, a factory and more than a dozen cars. Eight houses were damaged in Tsupivka, a village 20 miles north of Kharkiv, while 40 homes were damaged around the city of Kupiansk, 60 miles southeast of Kharkiv, amid clashes after Russian forces mounted a dozen ground sorties from the east. All the assaults by Russian units were repelled by Ukrainian forces, according to Syniehubov, who said Russian forces also launched unsuccessful offensives in the border districts of Vovchansk and toward Lyptsy, which is within striking distance of Kharkiv. Ukrainian troops also fought back a Russian sortie in the far east of the province near Dvorichnaya, close to Russian-occupied Luhansk province. A 63-year-old woman and a 61-year-old man were hospitalized Wednesday morning with blast injuries and concussion in Kherson after the vehicle they were riding in was struck by a drone, just northeast of the city. A second local woman sustained a shrapnel wound to her leg and was being treated in the hospital. The latest attacks were the seventh night in a row that Russia has deployed significant airborne forces against Ukrainian towns and cities since U.S. President Donald Trump revealed Russian President Vladimir Putin had told him during a call that he would have to retaliate over Ukrainian attacks targeting warplanes on the ground at airfields deep inside its territory. A so-called "Spiderweb" operation on June 1 by Ukrainian special forces destroyed or damaged dozens of aircraft, including strategic bombers, using drones to attack multiple military bases as far away as Siberia, which is 3,800 miles from Ukraine. Trump appeared to blame Ukraine for Russia's renewed onslaught. Speaking aboard Air Force One on Friday night, he told reporters he thought Kyiv had made a misstep. "They gave Putin a reason to go in and bomb the hell out of them last night. That's the thing I don't like about it. When I saw it I said 'here we go now it's going to be a strike,'" said Trump.
