As the Kremlin grapples with the aftermath of the Spiderweb operation, Ukraine strikes the Crimean Bridge.

The Ukrainian drone raid deep inside Russian territory has provoked anger and concern among Kremlin officials, who recognize the vulnerabilities of their air fleet that is capable of carrying nuclear weapons. A recent operation targeting airfields in Siberia showcased Ukraine’s capability to hit critical assets thousands of miles from the front lines, previously deemed safe by the Russian military.

While Russian experts acknowledge the attack’s significance, Russian leadership has opted to remain silent. Just a few of these bombers are sufficient to launch attacks on Ukraine, indicating that missile strikes will continue unabated. Nevertheless, the assault represents a significant blow to Russia’s bombers that were long viewed as invulnerable, and the nature of the strike establishes a new threat level for Russia as a nuclear power, challenging Putin’s perception of invulnerability. The US is now anticipating a “substantial” retaliatory strike from Russia against Ukraine.

To add insult to injury, the Ukrainian special forces launched another successful operation targeting a major Russian target on June 3rd. The Ukrainian SBU conducted an underwater attack on the supports of the Kerch Bridge, which links Russia’s mainland with Ukraine’s Crimean Peninsula.

“The underwater supports of the piers were severely damaged at the sea bottom level by 1,100 kilograms of explosives. The bridge is in an emergency state,” stated the SBU, Kyiv’s primary counterintelligence agency, in a Tuesday announcement following the assault.