In private talks, Trump admired Ukraine’s operation on targets in Russia - Axios
US President Donald Trump has admired the Ukrainian intelligence service's "Pavutyna" operation. However, he is concerned that this could complicate his efforts to achieve peace with Russia.
According to Censor.NET, Axios reports this with reference to unnamed confidants of the American president.
One Trump adviser noted:
"From an international perspective, you've got a chihuahua inflicting some real damage on a much bigger dog."
At the same time, Trump also told people he met with in recent days that the attacks would likely push Russian President Vladimir Putin to retaliate.
According to the Axios source, Trump is concerned that this scenario will hinder his diplomatic initiative on negotiations between Ukraine and Russia.
"We want this war to end. We want it to de-escalate. So if Putin goes crazy in response, yeah, the president has concerns," another source said.
SSU Special Operation "Pavutyna"
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 June 3, the General Staff clarified that a total of 41 Russian military aircraft were hit as a result of the special operation "Pavutyna" carried out by Ukraine’s Security Service on June 1, 2025.
Several media outlets also reported that Ukraine did not inform U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration in advance about the SSU’s "Pavutyna" operation targeting Russian airbases with strategic bombers.
