JUNE SPECIAL MILITARY OPERATIONS
On the first of June, Ukraine carried out a covert operation against russia, destroying at least 13 strategic bombers across five russian air bases and delivering damage worth an estimated $7 billion in a single day. Just a few days later, Ukraine conducted another special mission, this time detonating explosives beneath the Kerch bridge and inflicting serious damage on one of russia’s major supply routes.
Operation Spider’s Web
The attack against the fleet of russian bombers, codenamed Operation Spider’s Web, was 18 months in the making. Ukrainian operatives retrofitted commercial trucks with hidden roof compartments, loaded them with drones, and smuggled them into russian territory. russian drivers, completely unaware of the cargo hidden in the roofs of their trucks, were given instructions to park near russian airbases. A total of 117 drones, each with its own Ukrainian pilot, emerged from the trap roofs and found their targets: A-50, Tu-95, Tu-22, and Tu-160 bombers.
Ukrainian media sources report that 41 bombers were damaged, with at least 13 fully destroyed. These bombers have been out of production for decades, meaning the russians will likely have a hard time recommissioning the damaged planes.
As a precaution against future attacks, russian forces are now searching commercial trucks, causing massive disruptions to russian logistics and economy. Images have surfaced online of kilometers-long traffic jams of commercial trucks waiting to be inspected out of fear that they may contain another gift from Ukraine.
Attack On Kerch Bridge
Two days later, on June 3, Ukraine struck again, this time targeting the Kerch Bridge (also called the Crimean Bridge) connecting Crimea with russia. The bridge, containing four lanes of road and two tracks of railway, is a major supply route for russian forces.
In an operation that took months to plan, Ukrainian agents detonated 1,100 kilograms of explosives on the bridge’s supporting piers. Although the bridge was not destroyed, the attack is believed to have caused severe damage.
This is the third time the bridge has been targeted by Ukraine since the start of the invasion in 2022. The bridge was also badly damaged in October 2022 when a truck full of explosives destroyed parts of the midway bridge, and then again in July 2023 when the bridge was targeted with drones.
Why it Matters
It’s not hard to see tactical signficance of these victories. The destroyed and damaged nuclear-capable bombers represent an estimated one-third of russia’s cruise missile carrier fleet—the same fleet that has been used to terrorize Ukrainian civilian targets since the start of the war. russia’s capacity to carry out future strikes will be significantly impacted. Damaging the Kerch Bridge affects russia’s logistical capabilities, impacting their ability to resupply their front lines.
Also, importantly, these attacks send a message to the kremlin that Ukraine is capable of sophisticated attacks deep within their borders. It reminds not just putin, but the entire world that Ukraine remains strong, and that Ukraine does, in fact, have cards left to play.
