In one of the most audacious and sophisticated operations since the Ukraine-Russia war began, a fleet of Ukrainian drones recently struck deep into Russian territory, destroying over 40 military aircraft — including strategic bombers and radar surveillance planes — parked at airbases once thought untouchable. Known as Operation Spiderweb, this strike not only dealt a blow to Russia’s military capability but shattered its assumption that the heartland of its empire was beyond reach.
But what truly makes this operation historic is not just Ukraine’s execution. It is what it signals: the emergence of a European military that is able to cripple Russia’s military.
Beyond Ukraine: The Rise of European Military Power
At first glance, it appears to be a Ukrainian success story. But beneath the surface, Europe’s fingerprints are all over it.
After the Trump administration cut off intelligence-sharing and military support to pressure Ukraine into a negotiated peace, it was France and the United Kingdom that stepped in to keep Ukraine informed. (Although the US has suspended its intelligence support to Ukraine from March 3-11, its intelligence support resumed after Ukraine agreed to the Trump administration’s 30-day ceasefire proposal. By the time Ukraine executed Operation Spider’s Web on June 1, US intelligence support has resumed for over two months. Likewise, the operation has been in planning for more than a year and it has benefitted from US intelligence provided for several years prior to its execution. The fact however remains that European military intelligence support to Ukraine has remained consistent and robust whether US support was there or not.)
The Drone Coalition for Ukraine, spearheaded by the UK and Latvia and joined by Germany, Belgium, and Turkey, has funded over €1.8 billion in drone warfare innovations — the very capabilities that made Operation Spiderweb possible.
European intelligence satellites, logistical frameworks, encrypted communication systems, and battlefield coordination tools filled the vacuum left by the U.S. withdrawal.
This was not just a Ukrainian strike. It was a European-enabled blow against Russia’s strategic depth. And it was devastating.
Russia’s False Sense of Security is Gone
The targets included Tu-95 and Tu-160 bombers — Russia’s nuclear-capable aircraft — and A-50 early-warning planes, essential for commanding airspace and coordinating attacks. In one night, Ukraine managed to destroy approximately one-third of Russia’s long-range bomber fleet. These aren’t assets that can be easily or quickly replaced. Many were Soviet-era, and the factories that built them no longer exist.
With the United States uninvolved, this blow was delivered largely through European intelligence, European drone design, and European coordination. The operation shattered the illusion that Russia’s vast geography offers security — and marked the first strategic-level success of a European-backed military force since World War II.
A Glimpse into the Future: Europe Without America
Europe’s military awakening is no accident — and it’s accelerating:
- The Galileo satellite network, the IRIS² secure communications constellation, and nationally operated reconnaissance satellites are enabling Europe to be independent of U.S. space assets.
- Germany’s Sky Shield Initiative, Airbus’s A400M strategic airlift, and the Multinational MRTT air-refueling fleet now give Europe global logistics reach.
- France, with its independent nuclear arsenal, is now leading talks on a pan-European nuclear deterrence umbrella.
What we are witnessing is the rapid formation of an autonomous European military force — one no longer under the U.S. defense umbrella, and increasingly capable of replacing it.
In the near future, Europe may very well decimate Russia in a head-to-head war. And it wouldn’t need the United States to do it.
This, Too, Was Prophesied
Long before this shift, the Bible foretold of a coming superpower in the end time — a “Beast” power rising out of Europe (Revelation 17:12–13). This power would consist of “ten kings” — a coalition of nations that give their authority to a central military leader. It would wield immense force and shake the earth with its dominion.
We are watching that prophecy unfold.
Russia, despite its nuclear bravado, is crumbling before a resurgent Europe. And America, once the dominant force for world order, is stepping back — politically, economically, and militarily.
These events point to a global realignment of power — exactly as the Scriptures predicted.
Spiritual Reality
As Europe grows in power and war looms ever larger, it is easy to marvel at the strategic brilliance or technological advances. But we must not lose sight of the spiritual reality behind these geopolitical shifts.
Christ warned in Matthew 24:22 that unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved — meaning that humanity, left to its own devices, would annihilate itself. The tools of our destruction — hypersonic missiles, autonomous drones, cyber warfare, biological agents — already exist.
The question is not if they will be used, but when.
And yet, there is hope. Not in politics. Not in NATO or the EU or Washington. But in God.
As the world plunges toward conflict and chaos, God is calling us to repent, to seek His truth, and to prepare spiritually for what lies ahead. Only His intervention will stop mankind from self-destruction.
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