Operation Spiderweb and the Istanbul Impasse

Written by Carlos Taylhardat

“Peace comes not from weakness, but from strength—and I assure you, I know how to wield both.”

Brief Summary (June 4, 2025)
Over the past two weeks, Ukraine’s Operation Spiderweb—a coordinated drone strike that destroyed or damaged at least 41 of Russia’s strategic bombers at Irkutsk’s Belaya airbase—was followed by an audacious underwater sabotage of the Kerch Strait (Crimean) Bridge. On June 2, delegations from Kyiv and Moscow met in Istanbul for the first formal peace talks since early 2022, exchanging largely irreconcilable proposals and agreeing only on prisoner exchanges. On June 3, President Trump and President Putin held a 75-minute telephone call; Trump called it “good” but warned, “we can’t expect anything to happen soon,” while Putin vowed to “respond to Ukraine’s drone attacks.” Below, we summarize these events, outline the stalled negotiation steps, and present two competing interpretations of Trump’s approach—either as a deft negotiator leveraging Ukraine’s offensive to secure concessions, or as a pawn in a Russian stratagem—before offering a reader’s perspective on where this conflict may head.

Recent Developments (May 21 – June 4, 2025)

In late May, Ukraine finalized plans for Operation Spiderweb, a covert drone assault orchestrated by the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) that targeted multiple Russian airbases deep inside Russia. On June 1, Ukraine launched 117 drones—each concealed within a standard shipping container—against four airfields, including Belaya in Irkutsk Oblast, destroying or severely damaging at least 41 Russian aircraft, roughly one-third of Russia’s Tu-95 “Bear” bomber fleet. President Zelenskiy called the operation “absolutely brilliant,” underscoring Ukraine’s growing ability to strike strategic targets on Russian soil.

That same day, SBU divers carried out an underwater sabotage of the Crimean (Kerch Strait) Bridge, placing charges on key support pillars. In the early hours of June 3, approximately 1,100 kg of explosives detonated beneath the bridge, causing partial structural damage and temporarily halting traffic. Russian state media initially downplayed the impact, but satellite imagery confirmed impairment to several support pilings.

On June 2, peace delegations from Ukraine and Russia convened in Istanbul under Turkish mediation. Russia’s negotiators demanded that Ukraine cede significant territory—including formal recognition of Russian control over Crimea and large portions of Donbas—accept strict military limitations, and renounce any NATO aspirations. Kyiv’s representatives deemed these terms non-starters. In response, Ukraine presented a roadmap calling for a 30-day full ceasefire, prisoner exchanges, and international monitoring, but refused any proposal that undermined its sovereignty. The only concrete outcome was an agreement to exchange prisoners and the bodies of fallen soldiers, even as Russian shelling resumed near Sumy and Kharkiv on June 2–3.

On June 3, President Trump phoned President Putin in a call lasting approximately 75 minutes. Trump later characterized the conversation as “very constructive” but warned, “this is not a conversation that will lead to immediate peace,” while Putin vowed that Russia would “respond to Ukraine’s drone attacks” and accused Kyiv of using talks to buy time. The Kremlin’s official readout echoed Trump’s caution, underscoring the impasse.

By June 4, Putin publicly labelled the Bryansk Oblast bridge bombings, which killed seven and injured over a hundred, as “terrorist acts aimed at destroying any chance of dialogue,” and Zelenskiy retorted, “Russia’s demands are ultimatums; they betray any genuine desire for peace”. Western capitals, including Brussels and London, expressed cautious support for Ukraine’s resilience but warned that meaningful progress remained elusive.

Narrative One: Trump, the Master Negotiator

“Peace comes not from weakness, but from strength—and I assure you, I know how to wield both.”

Supporters of this view argue that President Trump sees Ukraine’s Operation Spiderweb not as a provocation but as leverage to compel Putin to the negotiating table. In private discussions, Trump allegedly described the drone strikes as “designed to showcase Ukraine’s resolve and force Putin to recognize the futility of a protracted war.” He is said to have remarked, “Putin respects power; if he believes his air fleet is vulnerable on home turf, he’ll move to negotiate.”

Following the June 3 call, White House aides revealed that Trump pressed Putin on “de-escalation pathways,” including a phased Russian withdrawal under international monitoring. One senior official observed, “Trump’s precedent with the Abraham Accords proves he can broker deals; here, Ukraine’s offensive and U.S. guarantees on reconstruction form the carrot-and-stick.” Polling in key swing states showed 43 percent of voters credit Trump’s “business acumen” with previous diplomatic breakthroughs, citing normalization between Israel and Gulf states as a template for Eastern Europe.

U.S. envoy Richard Grenell reportedly flew to Istanbul to convey American commitments: “If the Kremlin and Kyiv reach an agreement, the U.S. will unlock post-war reconstruction funds. That promise, combined with Ukraine’s demonstrated strength, sets a path to mutual face-saving.” A Kremlin aide, speaking off the record, admitted, “Trump’s personal guarantee matters—some Russian hard-liners want sanctions relief before winter, and they see value in at least exploring a pause”.

Narrative Two: Trump, the Russian Ploy

“Not everything that glitters is gold—and sometimes the gold is fool’s gold.”

Detractors contend that Trump’s approach is either naïve or complicit, effectively providing cover for a Russian-engineered charade intended to freeze Ukraine’s front lines while Moscow consolidates territorial gains. Leaked Ukrainian intelligence intercepts suggest that Kremlin strategists view Trump’s “peace push” as a smokescreen, allowing Russia to fortify air defences and reserve forces for future offensives.

In Istanbul, Russia’s demands—to freeze Ukraine’s NATO trajectory and cede large swaths of Donbas—surfaced even as Trump publicly praised the talks. Critics argue that by lauding these discussions, Trump “lends legitimacy to Russian ultimatums that still aim to crush Ukrainian sovereignty”.

Investigations revealed that pro-Russian advisors helped draft portions of the ceasefire framework distributed by Trump’s team—bypassing standard State Department review—leading some to conclude that Trump was, wittingly or not, advancing Moscow’s agenda. A Kremlin aide allegedly said, “Trump doesn’t know how expertly we’ve shaped these proposals; they favour Russia’s long-term goals. Had Moscow offered any genuine concessions, the charade would collapse”.

Finally, critics point out that when Trump cautioned, “we can’t expect anything to happen soon,” the Kremlin’s readout used nearly identical phrasing, prompting allegations of coordinated messaging. One U.S. senator confided, “If this were a bona fide peace process, why did Putin keep his generals entirely in the dark until our call ended?”.

Narrative Three: Reader Interpretation—Between Hope and Skepticism

Readers must reconcile two divergent lenses amid these constantly shifting events. On one hand, Operation Spiderweb starkly proved that Russia’s strategic bomber fleet is no longer invulnerable, suggesting that any stalemate could benefit Kyiv by pressuring Moscow to reconsider. As one European analyst asked, “If Russia’s nuclear-capable bombers are vulnerable on home soil, what incentive remains to prolong a costly war?”.

Yet Russia’s immediate reprisals—escalated shelling of Sumy and Kharkiv, along with the Bryansk bridge bombings—demonstrate the Kremlin’s willingness to double down, even as negotiations limped along in Istanbul. “Peace talks are a charade if we can’t halt nightly bombardments,” a Ukrainian parliamentarian observed.

Some readers will place faith in Trump’s assertion that “both leaders want peace,” recalling his 2018 claim that “getting along with Russia” could stabilize energy markets and save lives. Others will focus on Putin’s intransigence and the reality that no substantive concessions emerged from Istanbul, viewing Trump’s optimism as premature or even complicit.

Ultimately, the war’s direction remains unwritten. As one Ukrainian commentator remarked, “We live in an era where the next drone strike or presidential phone call can pivot the entire conflict” . The only certainty is that uncertainty reigns—and each drone attack, statement, and negotiation reshapes both the battlefield and the diplomatic chessboard.

Sources

1. How Ukraine pulled off an audacious attack deep inside Russia — Reuters, June 4, 2025. reuters.com
2. Satellite imagery shows Ukraine attack destroyed and damaged Russian bombers — Reuters, June 3, 2025. reuters.com
3. Russian war bloggers blame military command for stunning Ukrainian attack on bomber — Reuters, June 4, 2025. reuters.com
4. Operation Spider’s Web — Wikipedia, accessed June 3, 2025. en.wikipedia.org
5. Shocking satellite images show row of Russian ‘nuclear-capable’ bombers destroyed after Ukrainian drone attack — New York Post, June 3, 2025. nypost.com
6. Ukraine says it hit Russia’s bridge to Crimea with underwater explosives — Reuters, June 3, 2025. polskieradio.pl
7. 2025 Crimean Bridge explosion — Wikipedia, accessed June 4, 2025. en.wikipedia.org
8. Russian proposals set punitive terms at peace talks with Ukraine — Reuters, June 2, 2025. reuters.com
9. Ukrainian proposals for June 2 talks with Russia in Istanbul — Reuters, June 1, 2025. reuters.com
10. Russia and Ukraine swap fire as they head to Istanbul peace talks — Al Jazeera, June 2, 2025. aljazeera.com
11. Ukraine war briefing: Satellite pictures show Russian warplanes prey to ‘Spiderweb’ — The Guardian, June 4, 2025. theguardian.com
12. Zelenskiy suggests truce until meeting with Putin can be arranged — Reuters, June 4, 2025. reuters.com
13. Trump says Putin told him in phone call he will respond to Ukraine drone attack — Reuters, June 4, 2025. themoscowtimes.com
14. Trump says he had ‘good’ call with Putin but peace not ‘immediate’ — Good Morning America, June 4, 2025. goodmorningamerica.com
15. Trump says he had a call with Putin, who vowed a response to Ukraine’s airfield attacks — Sky News, June 4, 2025. news.sky.com

FURTHER READING

NATO and Western Aid Context

NATO Assurance and U.S. Troop Presence
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte affirmed on June 4 that “there are no plans at the moment for the U.S. to withdraw troops,” emphasizing that “the U.S. is completely committed to NATO” breakingdefense.comreuters.com. Rutte’s comments aimed to reassure Eastern European members concerned about any potential gap in security after Trump administration signals about pivoting forces away from Europe reuters.comeuronews.com.

NATO Defense Contact Group
On June 4, at the Ukraine Defence Contact Group meeting in Brussels, UK Defence Secretary John Healey announced a tenfold increase in drone deliveries to Ukraine—pledging 100,000 drones as part of a £350 million package—and highlighted that Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov confirmed allies’ willingness to fund Ukrainian defense production abroad theguardian.com. Meanwhile, Rutte reiterated that the U.S. remained “completely committed” to helping Ukraine and to the alliance, underscoring that the U.S. presence in Europe would not be diminished imminently theguardian.comreuters.com.

Western Sanctions Panel
In late May and early June, the EU and G7 deliberated new sanctions on Russian defence industries in direct response to Operation Spiderweb, aiming to further choke Russia’s revenue sources. On May 20, the EU adopted a 17th sanctions package targeting Moscow’s shadow oil fleet and hybrid threats reuters.comreuters.com. At the G7 finance ministers’ meeting on May 22 in Canada, the EU proposed lowering the Russian oil price cap from $60 to $50 per barrel, calling for stronger measures on Russian exports while debating potential lower caps or additional steps to curb Russian revenue streams reuters.comreuters.com. Germany’s new chancellery chief, Thorsten Frei, echoed von der Leyen’s call for tougher measures, advocating for bans on Russian gas and uranium imports and harsher restrictions on military-industrial ties, warning that only “real impact” measures would force Moscow to the table reuters.comreuters.com.

Humanitarian and Refugee Data

Civilian Impact in Sumy and Kharkiv
Russian rocket and artillery attacks on Sumy and Kharkiv in early June resulted in several civilian casualties. On June 3, a Russian rocket killed at least four civilians and wounded 25 in Sumy, including damage to a medical facility, prompting Zelenskiy to condemn Moscow’s “savage” assault apnews.comapnews.com. Simultaneously, shelling in Kharkiv left at least 14 dead, including teenagers, and dozens injured—illustrating the continued toll on urban centers despite parallel ceasefire talks apnews.com.

Power Outages in Occupied South
Ukrainian drone attacks and shelling also caused widespread power outages in Russian-held southern Ukraine, cutting electricity for at least 700,000 people across Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions, affecting nearly 500 settlements in Zaporizhzhia alone and over 100,000 residents in Kherson reuters.comapnews.com.

Refugee Protections
Recognizing ongoing volatility, the European Commission proposed on June 4 to extend the EU’s Temporary Protection Directive for Ukrainian refugees until March 2027, ensuring that over 4.25 million Ukrainians benefit from residence, work, and social welfare rights across member states reuters.comtheguardian.com. Commissioner Magnus Brunner emphasized that this extension provides legal certainty while preparing for a gradual transition toward long-term status or safe returns through “Unity Hubs” that aid integration or voluntary repatriation politico.eueeas.europa.eu. EU countries like Germany, Poland, and the Czech Republic host the largest Ukrainian populations and will coordinate with Kyiv on post-war reconstruction planning aa.com.treuronews.com.

Highlighting Turkey’s Mediating Role

Ankara’s Geopolitical Balancing
Turkey has played a dual role in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, maintaining robust economic ties with Russia—particularly through the Black Sea Grain Initiative—while simultaneously supplying Ukraine with Bayraktar drones and hosting peace talks in Istanbul iprc.com.trreutersconnect.com. Ankara’s approach aims to position itself as an indispensable mediator: it benefited from Russian gas imports but also leveraged diplomatic channels to keep lines open between Kyiv and Moscow en.wikipedia.orgtheguardian.com.

Influence on Istanbul Talks
In March 2022, Turkey brokered initial informal talks in Istanbul, and on June 2, 2025, it convened formal negotiations under Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and intelligence chief İbrahim Kalın. By bringing together Ukrainian negotiators led by Defence Minister Rustem Umerov and Russia’s team under Vladimir Medinsky, Turkey sought to capitalize on its credibility with both sides reuters.comreuters.com. However, Ankara’s insistence on formalizing dialogue did not bridge fundamental gaps: Russia’s hardline demands (territorial concessions and neutral status) clashed with Ukraine’s insistence on sovereignty and international monitoring yahoo.comapnews.com.

Russian Domestic Reactions

Veterans and Hard-liners
Within Russia’s political and military echelons, Duma members and pro-war hard-liners criticized the Kremlin’s handling of the Belaya drone strike. Reports indicated that some deputies publicly demanded more aggressive retaliation, arguing that Russia’s defences had been “shamefully exposed” reuters.comreuters.com. In Vladivostok, local activists—reportedly including veterans—staged small protests condemning the perceived “weakness” of the military command and calling for a more forceful response understandingwar.org.

Propaganda and Censorship
Russian state media downplayed the extent of damage at Belaya, emphasizing that “no critical infrastructure” was hit and labelling coverage of dozens of bombers destroyed as “Western propaganda” apnews.comreuters.com. Independent outlets and social media were subject to increasing censorship, with several local bloggers detained for posting satellite imagery showing destroyed Tu-95s—the Kremlin insisted that no such losses occurred apnews.com.

Assessing Geopolitical Ripples

China
China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs urged all parties to “observe the three principles for de-escalating the situation—no expansion of the battlefield, no escalation of fighting, no fueling the flame by any party,” and expressed willingness to “play a constructive role” in political settlement efforts en.wikipedia.orgen.wikipedia.org. Beijing has refrained from overt criticism of Russia’s losses, instead calling for restraint and caution on intelligence cooperation that could aggravate the conflict.

India
India maintained its policy of “strategic autonomy,” abstaining from UN votes condemning Russia while supplying it with discounted oil and non-lethal aid to Ukraine. New Delhi reportedly remains “uneasy” with Western pressure but refrained from explicitly supporting Moscow’s maximalist aims en.wikipedia.orgen.wikipedia.org.

Iran
Tehran welcomed the drone strike indirectly, issuing a statement condemning any “criminal attacks on energy or civilian infrastructure”—a veiled reference to Western sanctions on Iran and its own desire to avoid similar costs. Iran’s continued arms cooperation with Russia underscores how rising tensions in Ukraine feed broader regional rivalries, though Tehran called for “diplomatic dialogue,” nonetheless, reuters.comtheguardian.com.

Economic Fallout
Global commodity markets reacted swiftly. Oil prices surged: on June 2, Brent crude jumped 3.6 percent as market participants factored in risks of further Russian retaliation and sanctions on Russia potentially disrupting supplies barrons.comreuters.com. West Texas Intermediate also rose, albeit more modestly. By June 3, Brent briefly topped $65 per barrel as traders weighed OPEC+ production tensions and geopolitical risk wsj.comreuters.com.
Wheat markets—already jittery from Black Sea corridor uncertainties—spiked 2 percent on June 3 amid fears of disrupted Russian exports, before settling as OPEC+ and grain export assurances from Turkey eased some concerns en.wikipedia.orgfinance.yahoo.com.