Zelenskyy accuses Russia of arms race
Photo: President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy (Vitalii Nosach, RBC-Ukraine)
Ukraine is not engaged in an arms race, as it does not have "big, fat" missiles, the favorite toys of dictators. Ukraine only has drones, which are needed to defend against Russian aggression. The arms race is solely the fault of Russia, said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the UN General Assembly.
"Ukraine doesn’t have the 'big, fat' missiles dictators love to show off in parades. But we do have drones that can fly up to 2,000–3,000 kilometers. We had no choice but to build them – to protect our right to life," Zelenskyy stated.
The President reminded that previously, control of the sea depended on having a large fleet. But Ukraine established control over the Black Sea without a fleet, pushing Russian ships back into Russian ports using maritime drones.
Ukraine had no other choice. During Operation Spiderweb, conducted by the Security Service of Ukraine, dozens of cheap drones destroyed or damaged most of Russia’s strategic bombers, many of which were very expensive long-range aircraft.
"These very Russian bombers attacked our cities. And none of this would have happened if Putin had not started this full-scale aggression, full-scale war. And every year that this war goes on, weapons become even more deadly. And only Russia deserves to be blamed for this," Zelenskyy added.
Operation Spiderweb: what is known
On June 1, the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) carried out Operation Spiderweb. Ukrainian FPV drones struck Russian strategic aviation at their home airfields - military bases Belaya, Dyagilevo, Olenya, and Ivanovo. The attack damaged 41 Russian aircraft.
In total, at least 34% of Russia’s strategic aviation and most of its operational planes were affected. This greatly complicated Russia's attacks on Ukraine and also demonstrated the vulnerability of Russian military bases to modern technologies.
