The Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has advised Russian ruler Vladimir Putin to “stop whining” over Operation Spiderweb. Instead, Ukrainian diplomats have urged him to agree to a 30-day ceasefire and abandon unrealistic ultimatums.
On 1 June, Ukraine’s Security Service carried out a special operation that struck 41 aircraft, part of Russia’s nuclear triad. The mission has become a symbol of a new era of asymmetric warfare, where innovative drone systems and high-tech solutions allow a non-nuclear nation to effectively challenge a nuclear power state.
On 4 June, in a phone conversation with US President Donald Trump, Putin vowed to retaliate for Ukraine’s attack on Russian airfields.
Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry says that international law grants the right to self-defense in the event of aggression.
“It is also worth noting that the aircraft were vulnerable to strikes because they were fueled and armed for yet another attack on Ukrainian cities—to kill our children, civilians, and soldiers,” the ministry emphasizes.
The agency adds that there can be no equivalency between Ukrainian and Russian actions.
“Russia is the aggressor that launched an illegal and unprovoked invasion of our country. Ukraine is a nation defending itself against aggression. Therefore, by definition, Russian strikes are acts of aggression and terror, while Ukrainian strikes are acts of self-defense,” it says.
Ukrainian diplomats emphasize that Russia primarily targets civilians and aims to maximize civilian casualties.