Russia’s ‘Pearl Harbor’ How pro-war Telegram channels are reacting to Ukraine’s drone attack on Russian air bases
Over the weekend, Ukraine’s Security Service conducted a massive, sophisticated drone attack targeting airfields in five regions of Russia. According to the agency, “Operation Spiderweb” destroyed 41 aircraft (though these numbers haven’t been independently confirmed). Russia’s pro-war commentators on Telegram were universally unhappy about the attack but divided over what it means and who’s to blame. Meduza shares a selection of opinions from some of Telegram’s more odious corners.
On whether this was ‘Russia’s Pearl Harbor’
Z-blogger Roman Alekhin
This is Russia’s Pearl Harbor. Let’s hope the response is the same as America’s response to the attack on Pearl Harbor — or even tougher.
Oleg Tsaryov, former Donbas separatist leader (wanted in Ukraine)
For some reason, a lot of people think we’re bound to hit back hard now — after all, our strategic aviation has taken a serious blow. They say this is our Russian “Pearl Harbor,” and that we’ll respond just as forcefully as the U.S. did back then.
But I don’t see it that way. Our Black Sea Fleet has already suffered massive damage — it doesn’t get much worse than that. And what happened then? Did we strike back then?
Yevgeny Popov, State Duma deputy and TV propagandist
“Pearl Harbor” — what are you talking about? Calm down. From the video, it looks like three or four aircraft. It’s not even clear how many were operational and how many were decoys. Yes, it’s a lot. Yes, it’s unpleasant. Yes, those responsible should be held accountable. But this isn’t Pearl Harbor. We should respond by giving the enemy their own Pearl Harbor.
On the car tires seen ‘shielding’ Russian planes in footage of the attacks
Starshe Eddy, pro-war Telegram channel
Let me add something about the attack on our strategic aviation base. I’m sure every NATO strategist watching those surveillance footage clips right now is wondering: why didn’t those old tires strapped to the wings of the Tu-95 stop the drone strikes? They were supposed to, weren’t they?
Povernutie na voine, pro-war Telegram channel
The best explanations for why airplanes need to be covered with car tires, courtesy of our beloved commenters:
- “I’m a pilot — it’s a Ukrainian Photoshop psy-op.”
- “I’m a technician — it’s a Photoshop job by war correspondents.”
- Rubber doesn’t burn.
- Tires cause projectiles to ricochet.
- They protect against shrapnel.
- “The tires alter the radar signature of a parked plane.”
- “It’s done so that [Ukrainians] die of laughter.”
On how the authorities are likely to respond
Propagandist Anastasia Kashevarova
Is Russia acting like a country at war? No. Just a tiny fraction of the country is actually fighting. It’s a disgrace — the way soldiers film burning planes with a smirk. Clearly, they don’t give a damn. The majority of the military, officials, security services, the general public — they’re not even “relaxing” because they never tensed up in the first place.
This is betrayal — of the people who really are fighting. They’re being killed, they’re pushing through with their last bit of strength, sinking their own money into the war, building electronic warfare systems, drones. Russia is coasting on their backs. Once they’re gone, then what? What’s left? A bunch of cowards and scum sitting on their hands, doing nothing but trying to get rid of that tiny percentage of real patriots — the ones keeping Russia alive.
It’s just criminal ignorance and inaction. What about that massive strike on airfields and infrastructure? Tomorrow we’ll say how bad Ukraine is, shake our fists, maybe Trump will scold Zelensky too, and we’ll spin that across all media as our “victory.” But that’s tomorrow. Today? No time. It’s a day off — and a holiday, too. Children’s Day. Time for a barbecue and some drunken, pseudo-wise, educational speech to your kid. Go on, tell them you’re letting your country go down the drain.
Pro-war blogger Roman Saponkov
Today’s terrorist attack is dangerous because it will tighten the screws on civilian logistics — trucks, warehouses, and so on. They might start breaking stuff, passing new laws, etc. During wartime, this will just add more strain to the economy.
Southern Front, pro-war Telegram channel
Something tells me FPV drones are going to be pulled from retail sales.
Romanov Light, pro-war Telegram channel
How about we blame bloggers and volunteers for today’s strike by the Ukrainian Armed Forces on strategic aviation bases? They (we) are guilty of everything anyway!
And while we’re at it, why not quietly ban them from supplying drones to the front? Let’s make conditions so unbearable that they just give it up. Now there’s a brilliant idea!
Platon Mamatov, Russian soldier and blogger
Forget about the strategic missile carriers. We’ll win the war anyway. But how are we and our colleagues supposed to keep transporting drones by car? Before, we’d spend hours explaining things to the police or military police. Now? I don’t even want to think about it. Sure, we’ll get the drones to the mission. But getting them to a repair shop or training ground… no idea.
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