“King of Drones”: Zelenskyy’s Message to the World After Striking Deep Inside Russia
GG News Bureau
Kyiv, 2nd June: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is making headlines not just for his battlefield strategy, but for winning the war of perception — and symbolism. A striking image posted by Business Ukraine magazine on X shows Zelenskyy as a king on a playing card, gripping two swords, surrounded by drones. The caption? “Zelenskyy = King of Drones. Who ‘doesn’t have any cards’ now?”
The pointed reference recalls a remark made by former U.S. President Donald Trump earlier this year, who had bluntly told Zelenskyy during a tense meeting at the White House: “You don’t have the cards.” But now, with Ukraine pulling off its most ambitious drone strike deep into Russian territory — thousands of kilometres from the frontlines — that narrative has dramatically shifted.
Operation “Spider Web”: A Game-Changing Strike
In a carefully planned covert operation named “Pavutyna” or Spider Web, Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) struck at least five Russian military airbases, reportedly damaging or destroying over 40 aircraft, including long-range bombers like the Tu-95 and the A-50 radar plane. Russian authorities confirmed drone attacks at facilities in Irkutsk, Murmansk, Ivanovo, Ryazan, and Amur, but downplayed the damage.
Sources say the Ukrainian operation had been in the works for more than 18 months. Drones were quietly smuggled into Russia and hidden in trucks parked near airbases. On the day of the strike, roofs of wooden cabins mounted on these trucks opened remotely, unleashing first-person-view (FPV) drones directly onto their targets.
“The result was absolutely brilliant,” President Zelenskyy said, stressing that it was “achieved solely by Ukraine.” His statement wasn’t just about military prowess — it was a subtle, but sharp message to Washington and its political circles, many of whom continue to debate the extent of U.S. aid to Ukraine.
The Power of Timing
The drone offensive comes just as Ukrainian and Russian officials prepare to meet in Istanbul today to discuss possible steps toward ending the war — now in its third year. Zelenskyy’s government believes the success of Operation Spider Web will give Kyiv greater leverage in the talks.
“Our proposal is logical and realistic,” Zelenskyy said on Sunday. “But the Russians haven’t shared their memorandum with anyone — not with us, not with the Turks, not with the Americans. Still, we’re committed to making progress toward peace.”
While the world awaits the outcomes of the Istanbul talks, Ukraine’s latest move is a powerful reminder: it may not have the vast missile stockpiles of its adversary, but it has ingenuity, resilience, and an evolving edge in drone warfare.
And for now, Zelenskyy is playing his cards — not with desperation, but with determination.
