SSU’s "Pavutyna" operation has raised level of escalation, US tries to avoid it - Kellogg
Trump's special envoy for Ukraine, Keith Kellogg, called the SSU's "Pavutyna" Operation, which destroyed strategic bombers, a serious blow to Russia's image. However, he warned of the risk of escalation.
He said this in an interview with Fox News, Censor.NET reports.
According to him, when during a war you "attack part of the enemy's national survival system, in particular its nuclear triad, it significantly increases your level of risk".
"You don't know what the other side is going to do next. You're not sure, and that's what they (Ukraine - Ed.) have actually done. ... I think that's what we're trying to avoid... We wouldn't want to get to that point,’" Kellogg said.
Trump's special envoy believes that the SSU's operation was not so much about the material damage caused by the destruction of the bombers as it was about the psychological effect on the enemy.
"This operation was a serious blow to the image (of Russia - Ed.). It showed that Ukraine is not going to give up. Ukraine is essentially saying: "We can play this game too,’’ Kellogg concluded.
SSU Special Operation "Pavutyna"
According to Censor.NET sources, on June 1, the Security Service of Ukraine carried out a special operation codenamed "Pavutyna," launching a massive drone strike on Russian strategic aviation airfields.
The airfields targeted included Olenya, Belaya, Dyagilevo, and Ivanovo. A total of 41 Russian aircraft were hit, including A-50, Tu-95, and Tu-22M3 models.
Later, the SSU clarified that the estimated value of the strategic aviation assets damaged in today’s operation amounts to approximately $7 billion.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was briefed on Operation "Pavutyna" by the head of the Security Service of Ukraine, Vasyl Maliuk.
On 3 June, the General Staff clarified that 41 Russian military aircraft had been damaged as a result of a special operation by the Security Service of Ukraine on 1 June 2025.
A number of media outlets also reported that Ukraine had not informed US President Donald Trump's administration in advance of the SSU's "Pavutyna" special operation against Russian airfields with strategic bombers.
At the same time, according to CNN, US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth received regular updates on the SSU's "Pavutyna" special operation to target Russian long-range aircraft.
