section_path: Aftermath
section_name: Aftermath
paragraph_text: Aftermath
  
  Ukrainian officials said that the strikes damaged one-third of Russia's strategic cruise missile carriers, estimated to be worth US$7 billion, with $2000 drones. The Institute for the Study of War noted in its initial analysis that Russia's capacity to launch long-range missiles and drones into Ukraine may have been at least temporarily constrained. The Tupolev Tu-95MS and Tupolev Tu-22M3 bombers have been out of production for decades and cannot be replaced. Long Range Aviation 's strategic nuclear capability appears to have been severely degraded. The Wall Street Journal suggested that the failure of intelligence to forestall the attacks could increase what it called the "paranoia" of Russian president Vladimir Putin and lead to yet more purges in Russia's domestic intelligence services. Some commentators and Russian military bloggers called the event Russia's Pearl Harbor.
  
  The Russian Ministry of Defence referred to the operation as a "terrorist attack", noting attacks on air bases in five regions of Russia but claiming that the attacks had been repelled in three of the regions. It confirmed damage to aircraft at the Olenya and Belaya air bases.
  
  TASS reported that a truck driver alleged to be involved in the attack was to be questioned by police. The Russian defence ministry said that there were no casualties in the attacks they admitted, in the regions of Murmansk and Irkutsk, and that several "participants" had been arrested, although Zelenskyy said that all operatives had safely been withdrawn from Russia. The BBC, citing unverified reports on Russian Telegram channel Baza, known for its links to the Russian security services, said that the drivers of the drone trucks all told similar stories of innocently delivering purported wooden cabins, receiving instructions on where to park the trucks by mobile phone. One driver interviewed by Russian state news agency Ria Novosti said he and other drivers were surprised by the emerging drones, and tried to knock them down by throwing stones.
  
  An article published by Russia's Pravda.ru pointed out that attacks on nuclear-capable aircraft could undermine the effectiveness of Russia's nuclear forces, and "According to the 'Basic Principles of the State Policy of the Russian Federation on Nuclear Deterrence,' such actions fall under conditions that may justify the use of nuclear weapons".
  
  On 4 June 2025, U.S. president Donald Trump initiated a long call with Putin which dealt mainly with the attack. "I just finished speaking, by telephone, with President Vladimir Putin, of Russia," Trump wrote on Truth Social. "The call lasted approximately one hour and 15 minutes. We discussed the attack on Russia's docked airplanes, by Ukraine, and also various other attacks that have been taking place by both sides." He stated that Putin told him that Russia would retaliate. The Kremlin confirmed the phone call, but a transcript has not been released and the Moscow-Washington hotline was not mentioned.
  
  On 6 June 2025, it was reported in Newsweek that the Ukrainian Air Force had said that "Russia used a Tu-160 in intensive overnight missile and drone strikes across Ukraine", following a report by Ukraine's militarnyi that the Russian VKS had started using Tu-160 bombers to launch 36 Kh-101 cruise missiles, due to loss of Tu-95 bombers from Operation Spider's Web. Further, the report in Newsweek said that Russia had moved its strategic bomber force further east, potentially to reduce the risk of follow on attacks. However, former intelligence analyst Frank Ledwidge noted in the same article that the move could be part of a planned rotation or normal security move.