An epic failure for Russia. That is how the Ukrainian military operation “Payazhina“, in which several Russian airfields were attacked simultaneously, could be described, writes the FT.
On June 1, 2025, Ukraine carried out a unique operation in which several Russian airfields were attacked simultaneously. Enemy bombers were destroyed, which Russia may never recover.
The operation, the planning of which took 18 months, is likely to have a limited impact on Russia's nuclear potential, analysts say. But it will affect the daily situation in Ukraine.
Equally important is the fact that on the eve of the talks in Istanbul, Ukraine managed to demonstrate that it is capable of changing the dynamics of the battlefield, forcing Moscow to accept a new reality: now the territories deep inside Russia are vulnerable even without the use of Western weapons.
The FT notes that the aircraft damaged and destroyed as a result of the strikes make up about 20% of Russia's operational long-range aviation. The planes hit were among the most operational, which makes the Russian losses particularly devastating.
Russia has used these bombers to hit civilian targets in Ukraine, including during the recent mass attacks. Now Russia will not only have fewer bombers to attack Ukraine, but it will also be forced to consider changing its tactics.
At the same time, the impact of Operation Spider Web on Russian nuclear doctrine is likely to be limited. Russia's nuclear triad consists of land-based, sea-based, and air-based launchers. The latter have long been Russia's least preferred weapons due to their high vulnerability.
Strategic bombers make up about 10 percent of Russia's strategic nuclear weapons delivery systems, while submarines make up about 30 percent, and ground-based launch systems make up about 60 percent.
At the same time, the publication notes that the Ukrainian attack has become a signal to Moscow that even Russian territories remote from Ukraine can no longer be considered safe.
The Russians thought that because of the federation's enormous size, there were places that were invulnerable to enemy attacks. Ukraine has refuted this myth.