Despite Russia’s massive air strikes on Ukraine, including the deadly bombardment of Kharkiv and Kyiv over the weekend, Vladimir Putin has not yet launched the full-scale retaliation he pledged following Spiderweb operation last week.
According to unnamed US officials, who spoke to Reuters, a more dangerous and multifaceted Russian response is likely imminent. Another senior Western diplomat predicted in an interview with the Reuters that Moscow could unleash a “huge, vicious and unrelenting” assault against Ukraine.
Among Russia’s potential targets are Ukraine’s main counterintelligence agency, the Security Service known as SBU, which orchestrated the Spiderweb operation targeting over forty Russian strategic bombers in Russian soil last week, Michael Kofman from the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace has suggested. The attack on the SBU could involve the use of intermediate-range ballistic missiles and attacks on defense industry sites. In Kofman’s words, however, Russia’s capacity to escalate further is limited, as it is already heavily engaged militarily in Ukraine.
At least three people were killed and dozens were injured in Russia’s retaliatory drone and missile barrage of Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest northeastern city, on Saturday. Five more people were killed across other parts of the country. The relentless attacks came days after Ukraine’s audacious and surprise Spiderweb operation last Sunday. The attack that was launched with the smuggled Ukrainian FPF drones, targeted four military airfields in Russian territory and destroyed aircraft worth seven billion USD, including TU-95 and TU-22 aircraft used in long-range attacks on Ukraine.
The Spiderweb reportedly damaged around 10% of Russia’s strategic bombers, German Maj. Gen. Christian Freuding said. The expert noted that although Russian airstrikes haven’t decreased following the operation, the psychological and logistical effects are significant, with the remaining warplanes forces to fly more often, increasing wear and tear in them. Freuding also emphasized that the strike shattered Russia’s belief in the security of its vast interior, which had left many aircraft vulnerable. He said Russia would now be forced to enhance security.
It should be noted that the recent weeks has seen both Russia and Ukraine scale up long-range air raids despite the US-brokered peace talks to end the three-year full-fledged war. The sides exchanged drone strikes on Sunday with the Russian Defence Ministry reporting downing at least ten Ukrainian drones near capital Moscow. The work of two airports was suspended as a result of Ukrainian strikes. Ukraine also reported neutralizing 40 Russian drones that were fired into the country.
