Shortly after Ukraine’s bold drone attack on Russian airfields, Business Ukraine magazine posted a striking message on X: “Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy = King of Drones. Who ‘doesn’t have any cards’ now?” The post included an illustration of Zelenskyy as a playing card king, gripping swords and surrounded by drones.
The jab was unmistakable. It referenced former US President Donald Trump’s statement during a tense March meeting in Washington, where he reportedly told Zelenskyy, “You don’t have the cards. With us, you have the cards, but without us, you don’t have any cards.” Now, just two months later, Kyiv has delivered a daring drone operation that not only surprised Russia but also shifted global perception.
Operation Spider Web: Ukraine’s Deepest Strike Into Russian Territory
Ukraine labeled the mission Operation Spider Web, calling it its “most long-range operation” to date. According to Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU), the drones struck at least 41 Russian aircraft stationed at military bases. These included Tu-95 and Tu-22 bombers as well as an A-50 radar detection and command aircraft, reportedly used to attack Ukrainian cities.
Russia acknowledged drone strikes on multiple airfields—Murmansk, Irkutsk, Ivanovo, Ryazan, and the Amur region—and admitted several aircraft caught fire. However, Moscow has not provided a full damage assessment.
The attack demonstrated a high level of strategic planning. Over 18 months, Ukrainian forces smuggled drones into Russia, hiding them inside trucks parked near airbases. When activated, the trucks’ wooden cabin roofs opened remotely, launching drones directly at their designated targets.
Zelenskyy Declares Ukraine Alone Led the Attack
Ukrainian President Zelenskyy applauded the mission’s success and subtly addressed previous criticisms from Washington. Referring to Operation Spider Web, he called it an “absolutely brilliant result,” and added, “a result achieved solely by Ukraine.”
These six words were widely seen as a direct response to Trump’s March comment, positioning Ukraine as independently capable of executing strategic, high-impact military operations.
Strategic Timing Ahead of Istanbul Peace Talks
The timing of the operation was no coincidence. On the day of the drone strikes, Russian and Ukrainian officials prepared to meet in Istanbul to discuss potential solutions to the nearly three-year-long war—the largest European conflict since World War II.
By pulling off the covert offensive just before the talks, Ukraine appeared to be leveraging its newfound demonstration of power to strengthen its negotiating stance.
Following the strike, Zelenskyy reaffirmed his commitment to peace: “The Ukrainian proposal we presented to the Russians is logical and realistic. The Russians, however, have not shared their ‘memorandum’ with anyone — we don’t have it, the Turkish side doesn’t have it, and the American side doesn’t have the Russian document either. Despite this, we will try to achieve at least some progress on the path toward peace.”[
