Operation Web: Ukraine’s Drone Strike Devastates Russia’s Strategic Aviation

Author: 100News International Desk 

🔥 Strike on Russia’s "Untouchable" Strategic Air Force

On June 1, 2025, the Armed Forces of Ukraine launched Operation "Web", a high-tech assault targeting five of Russia's most critical strategic aviation bases. Using 117 FPV drones covertly planted within Russian territory, Ukraine delivered a devastating blow to military assets including Tu-95MS, Tu-22M3, Tu-160 bombers, and A-50 AWACS aircraft.

According to Ukraine’s SBU, over 40 aircraft were destroyed or damaged, with estimated financial losses exceeding $7 billion. This severely diminishes Russia’s long-range missile-launch capacity.

💥 Nearly 1 Million Russian Casualties

As of June 2, 2025, Russia's reported combat losses include 989,700 troops, along with thousands of tanks, artillery systems, and UAVs. Reports show that soldiers from regions like Tuva and Buryatia suffer disproportionately higher casualties than those from major cities like Moscow.

🧨 Domestic Tensions in Russia

Mounting casualties have intensified internal conflict within Russia. Regional dissent, protests by conscript families, and elite infighting challenge Kremlin control, especially in economically stressed provinces.

🇪🇺 European Parliament Backs Offensive Defense

The EU Parliament has endorsed Ukraine’s right to strike legitimate military targets inside Russia. Ursula von der Leyen warned that the global response will define the future of international law and order.

🇨🇳 China’s Strategic Calculus and Asian Reactions

China continues to balance its neutrality while economically benefiting from Russia's isolation. However, secondary sanctions loom. Meanwhile, countries like Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan increase support for Ukraine and NATO cooperation.

🇺🇸 U.S. Endorses Ukraine’s Bold Strike

Operation Web received bipartisan praise in Washington. U.S. lawmakers are moving to expand aid to Ukraine and tighten sanctions on Russia and its allies. Secretary Blinken called the operation "a global investment in security."

How Economics Replaces Ideology

How Trump is turning U.S. foreign policy into an investment tool—and what it means for global markets and major corporate stocks.

By Professor Andrew Azarov, Economics and Business, International Business Academy Consortium

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Geo-Economics Instead of Geopolitics

President Donald Trump is redefining the very nature of U.S. foreign policy in his second term. His administration is shifting from traditional priorities such as national security, human rights, and alliances towards a pragmatic approach driven by economic interests. The core idea: if a deal is profitable, it’s worth pursuing — regardless of the partner’s political system.

This approach was clearly reflected during Trump’s recent tour of the Middle East, which resulted in agreements worth over $2 trillion. These were not merely diplomatic visits — they were part of a large-scale commercial expansion designed to bolster U.S. global influence through business ties.

Deals Over Doctrine: Examples of the New Diplomacy

• Saudi Arabia: $600+ billion in deals, including $142 billion in military procurement.
• Qatar: $243 billion in agreements, including a $96 billion Boeing order.
• UAE: $14.5 billion for aviation and AI development.

The most dramatic move was lifting all sanctions on Syria in return for regional investment guarantees — effectively "unfreezing" a war zone for profit-driven diplomacy.

Who Was in the Delegation: From Diplomats to Tycoons

The delegation included both government officials and corporate leaders:

• Steven Witkoff – Special Envoy to the Middle East
• Morgan Ortagus – Deputy Envoy
• Elon Musk (Tesla, SpaceX)
• Sam Altman (OpenAI)
• Sundar Pichai (Google)
• Andy Jassy (Amazon)
• Satya Nadella (Microsoft)
• Jensen Huang (Nvidia)
• Marc Benioff (Salesforce)
• Dara Khosrowshahi (Uber)
• Larry Fink (BlackRock)
• Steve Schwarzman (Blackstone)
• Bob Iger (Disney)

This mix underscores the centrality of business and tech in America’s foreign strategy.

Main Economic Cooperation Areas

Commercial Diplomacy: Trump's Art of the Deal Just Transformed Middle East Politics

Искусство Трампа заключать сделки просто преобразило политику Ближнего Востока. Его 2-триллионная сделка раскрыла три коммерческие стратегии, которые СМИ полностью упустили из виду. Его шаг в Пакистане оставил дипломатов без слов. Пока СМИ фокусировались на личностях, они упустили из виду фундаментальный сдвиг в мировой политике.

 
Трамп применяет «коммерческую дипломатию», используя деловые сделки в качестве краеугольных камней внешней политики.
Результаты? Дипломатическое землетрясение.

Стратегия №1: Заключение сделок вместо догм.

The Political Pulse: How Policy Shapes Equity Markets, FX Rates and Citizens’ Well-being in Europe, the UK and the USA

Political decisions—fiscal stimulus, regulatory reform, election outcomes and central-bank mandates—profoundly influence asset prices and, ultimately, citizens’ living standards. This analysis explores how recent political currents in Europe, the United Kingdom and the United States have moved stock markets, currency exchange rates and household welfare.

1. Fiscal Policy and Equity Markets

1.1 Europe

• Fiscal Stimulus vs Austerity: Countries that relaxed austerity to fund infrastructure and green-transition projects (e.g. Germany’s €60 billion climate package) have seen domestic equities in renewables and construction outperform. Conversely, Southern-European states maintaining tight budgets experienced more muted gains.
• EU Recovery Funds: Disbursement of Next Generation EU grants has driven rallies in the Stoxx 600, particularly in Spain and Italy, where SMEs and manufacturers are the main beneficiaries.

1.2 United Kingdom

• Tax Cuts and Public Spending: Announcements on corporation-tax reductions and R&D credits have buoyed FTSE 100 sectors such as pharmaceuticals and financial services, while uncertainty over public-sector pay deals has weighed on domestically focused mid-caps.
• Post-Brexit Trade Policy: New trade agreements (e.g. with Australia) have underpinned export-oriented stocks, whereas unresolved Northern Ireland Protocol issues have clouded sentiment in logistics and agribusiness.

1.3 United States

• Infrastructure and Tech Regulation: The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law injected capital into construction and materials names, lifting relevant S&P 500 subsectors. Meanwhile, Congressional scrutiny of Big Tech has capped valuations of certain mega-caps.
• Debt-Ceiling Showdowns: Repeated brinkmanship has triggered brief sell-offs whenever Treasury-bill downgrades or funding impasses loomed, underscoring equities’ sensitivity to fiscal credibility.

2. Monetary–Political Interplay in Currency Markets