
Operation Spider Web: Strategic Analysis
Operation Pavutina, carried out on June 1, 2025, by Ukrainian intel-ligence services, primarily the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), marked a turning point in the Russo-Ukrainian conflict. It illus-trated Ukraine’s growing capacity to conduct complex asymmetric warfare operations and strike deep into Russian territory.
This operation inflicted both considerable material and psycho-logical damage on Russia, calling into question its air defense posture and strategic depth. Key successes of the operation include the successful targeting of multi-ple strategic Russian airbases, the destruction or damage of a substantial number of high-value Russian aircraft, and the innova-tive use of FPV (First-Person View) drones launched from within Russian territory. Strategically, the operation temporarily diminished Russia’s long-range strike capa-bilities and significantly boosted Ukrainian morale, […]