[June 3, 2025] If it were not for a few dedicated followers of the war in Ukraine, I would have missed reporting on Sunday about Ukraine’s attacks deep into Russian territory. Ukraine’s innovative strategy did lasting damage to the Russian government. The question we must now ask: Is Russia burning?
From a small number of observers who’ve been reporting daily, like OSINT and Suchomimus, we can get a good summary of these attacks. Using FPV drones (with AI targeting assistance), over 40 large strategic aircraft at five air bases, damaging an estimated 34% of Russia’s cruise missile carriers. Plus, at least one nuclear-capable submarine was damaged, and two railroad bridges were destroyed.
What will be the outcome of this attack?
First, since the beginning of the war, Ukraine has fought above its weight through its brave soldiers, innovative tactics, and use of advanced technologies. Russia continues to execute the war using predictable attrition strategies. We can expect more of the same (with one exception, noted below), and Ukraine’s President Zelenskyy will continue to push his forces toward deterring Russia from taking more Ukrainian territory. He needs to show the West that his country is still in the fight.
Second, Russia’s allies, China and North Korea, will be associated with Russia’s recent failures to protect its assists. Will Russia now withdraw from peace talks as a reaction to their humiliation? Doing so would further reduce the world’s view of Russia and show how unserious they were about peace talks. Putin is most likely to act like a petulant bully and react without thinking through the consequences. That’s how he could lose China as an ally.
Third, Russia has begun to hit back at Ukraine with several large drone swarm attacks on civilian areas (not military targets, except with one attack on a military training camp). Still, the damage to Russian prestige is staggering. Purposefully attacking civilians is a war crime.
Fourth, overlooked in these Ukrainian attacks, is the damage to Russia’s strategic logistical systems. Russia supplies its forces mostly by rail. Damaging the rail network is a critical setback that will hinder frontline combat units, which could lead to the collapse of several combat units.
And lastly, an unpredictable reaction from Putin is yet to fall. How far will he go to attempt to “reclaim” face after this staggering loss? Will Putin resort to nuclear weapons? Reports from the region claim he has his nuclear forces on high alert. Russians are calling this latest attack “the Russian Pearl Harbor,” a poor analogy. Whatever Putin does, we can expect it to be massive and soon.
We are seeing with our own eyes the difference in how a democratic nation operates in war versus a dictatorship. As long as Zelenskyy has the support of his people—and currently, he does—Ukraine will have the upper hand.
But can Ukraine win this war? That depends on how we define “win?” Regardless of a win, Ukraine is devastated economically and only exists because of support from America and a few select European countries.
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I’m not so sure anyone knows the outcome. But it may be just which of these two countries that collapses first. I’m hoping it will be the aggress, Russia. The problem with that scenario is that the West will again be unprepared for the crash and Russia will become temporarily a failed state that will be a threat to us.
RUSSIA BURNING
RUSSIA BURNING
RUSSIA BURNING
… Russian President Vlad Putin has a choice today to end this unnecessary war, unnecessary for the world and Russia but to him something lese because he is the problem the world does not need or want. Putin’s time is coming to an end. Let’s hope that saner heads stop the RUSSIA BURNING and they come to their senses and stop the war. Only Putin today can stop it.
And now, the Ukraine military attacks the Kerch Bridge. Span stands but structural damage is certain.
All the while Paris burns and a Islamic terror attack in Colorado, USA. Mostly peaceful protests, French style!
When I saw a video of Paris aflame, my first thought was the title of the great book by Larry Collins and Dominic Lapierre “Is Paris Burning.” The answer would appear to be yes
An operation by Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) using first-person-view (FPV) drones smuggled deep inside Russian and hidden inside trucks has hit 41 Russian heavy bombers at four airfields across the country, a source in the agency told the Kyiv Independent on June 1.
THE KVIV INDEPENDENT:
https://kyivindependent.com/enemy-bombers-are-burning-en-masse-ukraines-sbu-drones-hit-more-than-40-russian-aircraft/
The operation — codenamed “Spiderweb” and a year-and-a-half in the planning — appears to have dealt a major blow to the aircraft Moscow uses to launch long-range missile attacks on Ukraine’s cities.
“The SBU first transported FPV drones to Russia, and later, on the territory of the Russian Federation, the drones were hidden under the roofs of mobile wooden cabins, already placed on trucks,” the source said.
“At the right moment, the roofs of the cabins were opened remotely, and the drones flew to hit Russian bombers.”
RUSSIA IS ON FIRE IN MORE WAYS THAN ITS BOMBERS BURNING
Well said, sir.
Russian President Putin needs to realize that the gig is up and he should sue for terms to end the war before Russia collapses economically. There will be a point of no return from that collapse and none of us know what that might bring. That doesn’t mean surrender but going to the peace table is a start to show a desire to end this horrific war. Thank you, Gen. Satterfield for this article that hopefully starts us thinking about the futures of both Ukraine and Russia.
Many have predicted that Russia will collaspe but that hasn’t yet happened.
Yes, that is correct, but there are indicators that their economy is failing due to overexpenditure of resources on the war on a fragile economy that is also under world-wide sanction (except for China, NK, and a few smaller countries). Let’s see how that plays out over the next few months.
Yusaf, that is what most of the civilized world is doing but they need to be planning (at a minimum) for the fall of Russia. The West failed to predict or prepare for the fall of the USSR and that failure brought us Putin and his minions.
Good points.
Let’s all 🙏 pray that this useless war ends soon, and that lives are spared.