'Russia's Pearl Harbor'—Ukraine Surprise Drone Attack Hits Nuclear Bombers

 

A surprise Ukrainian drone strike has drawn comparisons to “Russia’s Pearl Harbor” after it reportedly damaged or destroyed 41 military aircraft on Sunday, sparking a flurry of reactions online and among military analysts.

The attack comes amid months of fragile negotiations between Russia and Ukraine, with the United States acting as mediator. Despite ongoing talks, both sides have continued to launch attacks, complicating efforts to reach a peace agreement.

Former President Donald Trump has repeatedly expressed frustration with both Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, suggesting that neither leader is showing genuine interest in achieving peace. In a heated Oval Office exchange in February, Zelensky told Trump and Vice President JD Vance that previous agreements with Russia had already been violated, prompting Trump to question whether Putin is deliberately prolonging the conflict, which began in February 2022.

Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) claimed responsibility for the drone strike, stating it was part of a “large-scale special operation” targeting Russian bomber aircraft. “Enemy strategic bombers are burning en masse in Russia,” the agency said, according to Euro News.

The strike comes just days after Russian troops made gains in Ukraine’s Sumy region, escalating tensions further.

Trump administration officials told CBS News that they had no prior knowledge of the planned attack. In response, some Russian military commentators have called for a forceful reaction. Military blogger Roman Alekhin referred to the event as “Russia’s Pearl Harbor,” and some voices have even advocated for tactical nuclear retaliation.

The term references Japan’s 1941 surprise airstrike on the U.S. naval base at Pearl Harbor, which drew the United States into World War II.

Russia’s Defense Ministry acknowledged the drone strikes, telling the state-run Tass news agency that Ukraine used FPV (first-person view) drones to attack airfields across the Murmansk, Irkutsk, Ivanovo, Ryazan, and Amur regions. The ministry claimed that most attacks were repelled and reported no casualties, though fires damaged several aircraft in Murmansk and Irkutsk before being extinguished.

According to Reuters, the SBU used hidden launch stations disguised as wooden sheds near Russian airfields. These makeshift structures included retractable roofs, allowing drones to be launched remotely from within Russian territory.

In a Telegram post, the SBU claimed the operation hit 34 percent of Russia’s strategic cruise missile carriers based at major airfields.

President Zelensky praised the operation on social media, calling it “absolutely brilliant.” He said the mission took over a year and a half to plan and execute, describing it as Ukraine’s longest-range operation to date. Zelensky confirmed that all personnel involved had been successfully withdrawn from Russian territory.

“I thanked General [Vasyl] Maliuk for this Ukrainian success,” Zelensky said. “Not everything can be disclosed, but this operation will be written into history. Ukraine is defending itself—and doing so rightly. Russia started this war; Russia must end it. Glory to Ukraine!”

Journalist Murtaza Hussain wrote on X (formerly Twitter) that the drones were reportedly launched from trucks stationed within Russia, using removable roof mechanisms to deploy the attack. “Despite recent territorial losses, Ukraine has pulled off a modern Pearl Harbor,” he noted, adding that serious retaliation should be expected.

Amid the escalating conflict, Zelensky also announced that a Ukrainian delegation will travel to Istanbul for direct peace talks with Russia on Monday. The meeting presents a rare diplomatic opening even as fighting continues on multiple fronts and the humanitarian crisis deepens.