Wars Are Changing: About Operation "Pautina"

On June 1, one of the most unique operations in the history of warfare was carried out. Personally, after Mossad remotely detonated Hezbollah fighters’ pagers, I thought I wouldn’t be surprised by any other military operation. But yesterday, that changed.

With almost no military aid from the West, Ukraine, on the eve of the second round of direct negotiations with Russia, carried out a serious sabotage operation. Below — about Operation "Pautina" ("Web").

Target: Strategic Aircraft

On June 1, Ukraine simultaneously attacked airfields in four remote regions of Russia. The attacks were conducted using very simple, cheap drones. The airfields attacked — located far from the Ukrainian border — were: “Dyagilevo” in Ryazan, “Olenya” in Murmansk, “Belaya” in Irkutsk, and “Ivanovo” in the Ivanovo region.

The operation was personally directed by the head of Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU), General Maliuk. According to preliminary information, 41 Russian strategic aircraft, including A-50, Tu-95, and Tu-22M3 bombers, were destroyed. The SBU stated that as a result of the strike, Russia lost 34% of its strategic aviation fleet.

Ukraine used very basic, cheap drones costing around $200–$300, loaded with explosives. Naturally, these cheap drones were not launched from Ukrainian territory — they cannot fly such long distances. You can check the map to see how far Murmansk and Irkutsk are — these places are extremely far from the Ukrainian border.

A “Headquarters” in a Truck

As unbelievable as it sounds, Ukraine’s Security Service launched the drones from close to the airfields themselves. For this, special operations troops entered Russian territory and even managed to return to Ukraine afterward. The drones were hidden inside mobile homes located in the cargo compartments of transport trucks. Once the vehicle reached the desired location, the driver left it in a deserted spot. Most likely, the drones — guided by artificial intelligence — exited the truck and began striking aircraft on the airfield.

Some drones recorded the attacks from above as others exploded the aircraft — presumably to demonstrate the success of the operation. It is still unknown exactly how the truck roofs opened or how the drones were deployed, but the SBU has promised to provide full details about the operation soon.

“An Operation That Will Enter the Textbooks”

Later in the evening, President Zelensky thanked SBU head General Maliuk for executing the operation. He said the operation was outstanding and emphasized that it would be written about in history books. According to Zelensky, preparations took 1 year, 6 months, and 9 days. He underlined that this was Ukraine’s independent achievement — carried out without outside help.

What Does This Mean?

First of all, Operation “Pautina” signals that warfare is changing. There is no longer a need to spend millions of dollars on tons of iron and heavy tanks that get stuck in spring mud. Yesterday, Ukraine destroyed $7 billion worth of Russian aircraft using $200 drones. And these were not just any aircraft — they carried cruise missiles and strategic weapons. Their roles cannot simply be replaced by other planes, because the missiles are designed specifically for them.

Ukraine realized that its main ally — the United States — had almost turned toward Russia, and military aid had stopped. At that moment, a country can rely only on itself. So Ukrainian engineers got to work, programmed special software into the drones. And what used to be toys for filming weddings or events turned into weapons that destroyed equipment worth hundreds of millions of dollars.

Perhaps, in peacetime, these engineers wouldn’t have been able to design such a flawless, Mossad-level operation. But in war, when the very independence of the state is at stake, the brain and heart of an engineer begin to work in unison. That famous phrase is more relevant today than ever: necessity is the mother of invention.

That’s what war is, gentlemen. As long as a human has the instinct to survive, he will continue to fight. If the enemy’s weapon is stronger than yours, you hit him with something else — something you do have. If you’re a Vietnamese fighter, you dig a pit in the jungle and put a poisonous scorpion inside for the American invader. Or, you destroy a $100 million plane with a $200 drone. That’s why, in today’s technological age, war should never be started.

By the way, Ukraine carried out this sensational sabotage just before the second round of negotiations with Russia in Turkey. In the first round, the Russians spoke from a position of strength: “We can fight for 20 years, how long can you fight?” Now, Ukraine can respond: “We can destroy your $100 million aircraft with a $200 drone — how many more planes do you have left?”

In short, this war must end. If it continues at this pace, the ending will be disastrous for all. And only the one who started the war can truly end it...

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