Officials Warn Putin’s Full Retaliation for ‘Operation Spiderweb’ is Yet to Come
Senior U.S. and Ukrainian officials warned on June 8 that Russia has yet to unleash its full retaliatory power following Ukraine’s audacious “Operation Spiderweb,” a deep-strike drone assault on June 1 that damaged numerous Russian strategic bombers. Despite significant Russian missile and drone barrages on Ukrainian cities in the days following the attack, intelligence assessments indicate a more severe and multi-pronged Operation Spiderweb retaliation is still being planned by the Kremlin.
The warning signals a potentially grave escalation in the nearly 28-month-long war. The initial Russian response, while destructive, is now being viewed as a prelude to a more “vicious” and “asymmetrical” assault, according to officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity. The successful Ukrainian operation, which inflicted what Kyiv claims to be billions of dollars in damage, has dealt a significant strategic and symbolic blow to Moscow, raising concerns that President Vladimir Putin will seek to answer with overwhelming force against high-value Ukrainian targets.
The Audacity of Operation Spiderweb
The current tensions stem from the unprecedented Ukrainian attack on June 1. Planned over 18 months by the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), “Operation Spiderweb” involved smuggling domestically produced drones deep into Russian territory. From there, operatives launched a coordinated assault targeting at least five separate Russian military airbases across five time zones, including the Belaya airbase in Siberia, approximately 4,300 kilometers from Ukraine.
Ukrainian officials claim the attack hit as many as 41 aircraft, including Tu-95 and Tu-22M3 strategic bombers, the primary platforms Russia uses to launch long-range cruise missile strikes. The SBU released footage showing a direct hit on a Tu-22M3 bomber and estimated that the operation disabled 34% of Russia’s strategic missile carriers, a significant blow to assets that are no longer in production and difficult to replace. Open-source intelligence analysts have independently confirmed damage to at least 21 aircraft. Confirmed Losses Of Russian Aircraft Mount After Ukrainian Drone Assault.
Russia’s Initial Response
The Kremlin’s public reaction was one of fury. On June 4, President Putin condemned the strike, stating, “The current Kyiv regime does not need peace at all… How can we negotiate with those who rely on terror?”
This rhetoric was followed by waves of missile and drone attacks targeting Kyiv, Kharkiv, and other Ukrainian population centers. The Russian Ministry of Defense explicitly described these strikes as retaliation for the “terrorist acts of the Kyiv regime.” The attacks caused widespread damage to civilian infrastructure and resulted in casualties.
A “Vicious” Assault Anticipated
Despite the intensity of those strikes, U.S. officials now assess that the primary Operation Spiderweb retaliation is yet to come. The intelligence suggests that Russia’s response thus far has been partial and that a more significant military action is imminent.
The concern is that Putin will order an “asymmetrical” response aimed at high-value, symbolic targets within Ukraine. Military analysts speculate that potential targets could include the SBU headquarters in Kyiv, in direct response to the agency’s role, or key defense manufacturing facilities to cripple Ukraine’s burgeoning domestic arms industry. This looming threat of a major escalation has placed Ukrainian defenses on high alert and has become a point of intense focus for Western observers.
This report is presented with AI assistance. All stories are based on verified sources and have been reviewed and approved by our human editorial team for accuracy and fairness.
