Ukraine Stages Decisive Drone Assault Inside Russian Borders
Early June 2025 saw a major shift in the Ukraine war. Ukrainian forces carried out a synchronized attack using around 120 drones, striking four Russian military airfields deep inside the country. What sets this operation apart isn’t just the scale: it’s the range and sophistication, with drones targeting not only bases near the frontline but also the likes of Belaya in remote Eastern Siberia and Olenia, positioned close to the Finnish border. It’s clear the drones weren’t just launched from neighboring Ukraine—they’d been smuggled in and hidden on Russian soil for months, waiting for the right moment.
The Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) didn’t hold back. They announced the destruction of more than 40 aircraft—many of them strategic bombers that form the backbone of Russia’s long-range cruise missile attacks and its nuclear deterrence. No prior operation had hit so close to the heart of Russia’s strategic forces. President Volodymyr Zelensky even called the mission an "absolutely brilliant success" in a series of posts, sharing video clips that quickly spread across social media. The SBU claimed this daring raid was years in the making, something they’d quietly set up long before the world noticed.
NATO’s Shadow: Intelligence and Escalation Fears
What really has everyone whispering is the whisper of NATO fingerprints on the mission. Analysts who’ve followed these kinds of strikes say this wasn’t possible using just local knowledge. Pulling off nearly simultaneous attacks, with smuggled drones hitting targets thousands of kilometers apart, would almost certainly require satellite imagery and real-time intelligence—the sort only the U.S. and NATO allies can provide. Zelensky’s persistent close contact with Western leaders only stoked these suspicions further.
Moscow tried to downplay the damage. The Russian Ministry of Defense labeled the whole thing as ‘terrorist attacks’ that were repelled, and bloggers sympathetic to the Kremlin estimated only a dozen aircraft damaged instead of dozens destroyed. Still, even those inside Russia who support the government have admitted that this was a serious blow—especially with strategic bombers now off the board.
This new phase of warfare—drones hidden inside enemy territory, likely guided by Western intelligence—has already resulted in the most direct threat to Russia’s nuclear strike planes since the Cold War. That has risk experts sounding alarms. Several Russian commentators, including former military officials turned TV pundits, argue that by directly targeting the planes that carry nuclear weapons, Ukraine and anyone helping them are playing with fire. They warn this crosses an unspoken red line, one that could push the Kremlin toward escalation, possibly even dusting off its nuclear playbook to send a message.
Inside NATO governments, there’s been no direct comment. Privately, though, Western officials seem both impressed and wary. Backing Ukraine is one thing—being caught directly responsible for a barrage that might end up provoking a nuclear standoff is another. Yet, Ukrainian confidence is at an all-time high. Videos from the SBU show military engineers celebrating in darkened bunkers, describing how detailed planning and precision timing paid off. The quieter question is whether this game of brinkmanship can avoid spinning into something that nobody—not even the most hawkish supporters on either side—actually wants.