Nathalie Ketrouef

From The New York Times, I'm Nathalie Ketrouef. This is The Daily. Today, the story of Operation Spider's Web, an audacious sneak attack by Ukraine that caused billions of dollars in damage to Russian warplanes, with drones that cost as little as $600. My colleague Mark Santora explains why this strike is already being seen as a defining moment in the evolution of modern warfare.

From The New York Times, I'm Nathalie Ketrouef. This is The Daily. Today, the story of Operation Spider's Web, an audacious sneak attack by Ukraine that caused billions of dollars in damage to Russian warplanes, with drones that cost as little as $600. My colleague Mark Santora explains why this strike is already being seen as a defining moment in the evolution of modern warfare.

And now Zelensky and Ukraine have orchestrated this pretty advanced attack after a long stretch where Russia was dominating the battlefield, right? It's like he's saying, Zelensky's saying, no, wait, we actually do have some cards. Here they are. And so I'm wondering, Mark, how this affects the ongoing talks between Russia and Ukraine.

And now Zelensky and Ukraine have orchestrated this pretty advanced attack after a long stretch where Russia was dominating the battlefield, right? It's like he's saying, Zelensky's saying, no, wait, we actually do have some cards. Here they are. And so I'm wondering, Mark, how this affects the ongoing talks between Russia and Ukraine.

At the same time, Putin obviously has been really resistant to pressure this whole time. And I have to wonder whether even with the latest successes, this has any chance of working, of forcing him to the table in a really earnest way.

At the same time, Putin obviously has been really resistant to pressure this whole time. And I have to wonder whether even with the latest successes, this has any chance of working, of forcing him to the table in a really earnest way.

In other words, Operation Spider's Web might end up having more of an effect on how we think about and conduct warfare in general than it will have on this actual war.

In other words, Operation Spider's Web might end up having more of an effect on how we think about and conduct warfare in general than it will have on this actual war.

Mark, thanks for being here, and stay safe. Thank you. We'll be right back. Here's what else you need to know today. On Tuesday morning, Israeli soldiers opened fire near crowds of Palestinians who were walking toward a food distribution site in southern Gaza. The Red Cross said that 27 people were killed in the attack.

Mark, thanks for being here, and stay safe. Thank you. We'll be right back. Here's what else you need to know today. On Tuesday morning, Israeli soldiers opened fire near crowds of Palestinians who were walking toward a food distribution site in southern Gaza. The Red Cross said that 27 people were killed in the attack.

The Israeli military said it had fired near a few people who had strayed from the designated route to the site and who didn't respond to warning shots, saying they had, quote, "...posed a threat to soldiers." A senior administrator at a hospital a few miles from where the shootings took place said that many of the victims were children aged 10 to 13.

The Israeli military said it had fired near a few people who had strayed from the designated route to the site and who didn't respond to warning shots, saying they had, quote, "...posed a threat to soldiers." A senior administrator at a hospital a few miles from where the shootings took place said that many of the victims were children aged 10 to 13.

And the Trump administration is proposing a deal to allow Iran to continue enriching uranium at low levels, while the U.S. and other countries work out a plan to eventually block Iran's path to a nuclear weapon in exchange for giving it access to fuel for nuclear power plants.

And the Trump administration is proposing a deal to allow Iran to continue enriching uranium at low levels, while the U.S. and other countries work out a plan to eventually block Iran's path to a nuclear weapon in exchange for giving it access to fuel for nuclear power plants.

The proposal is seen as a bridge, for now, between the current situation of Iran rapidly producing near-bomb-grade uranium and the American goal of Iran enriching no uranium at all. This was the first indication since Trump took office that the U.S. and Iran might be able to find a compromise over Tehran's ambitions to build a nuclear weapon.

The proposal is seen as a bridge, for now, between the current situation of Iran rapidly producing near-bomb-grade uranium and the American goal of Iran enriching no uranium at all. This was the first indication since Trump took office that the U.S. and Iran might be able to find a compromise over Tehran's ambitions to build a nuclear weapon.

Officials in Tehran indicated that a response would come in several days. And finally, on Tuesday afternoon, Elon Musk lashed out against the ambitious Republican bill that's intended to enact Trump's domestic policy agenda and that's been backed by the president.

Officials in Tehran indicated that a response would come in several days. And finally, on Tuesday afternoon, Elon Musk lashed out against the ambitious Republican bill that's intended to enact Trump's domestic policy agenda and that's been backed by the president.

Musk posted on X that the measure, which the White House has called the Big Beautiful Bill, is, quote, a disgusting abomination, saying it was, quote, massive, outrageous, pork-filled, and would, quote, massively increase the already gigantic budget deficit.

Musk posted on X that the measure, which the White House has called the Big Beautiful Bill, is, quote, a disgusting abomination, saying it was, quote, massive, outrageous, pork-filled, and would, quote, massively increase the already gigantic budget deficit.

Musk also hinted that he might support efforts to unseat lawmakers who backed the bill in the 2026 midterm elections, saying, quote, While Musk directed his ire at Congress, the comments amounted to his biggest public break with Trump since the two joined forces during the campaign. Today's episode was produced by Olivia Natt, Caitlin O'Keefe, and Anna Foley.

Musk also hinted that he might support efforts to unseat lawmakers who backed the bill in the 2026 midterm elections, saying, quote, While Musk directed his ire at Congress, the comments amounted to his biggest public break with Trump since the two joined forces during the campaign. Today's episode was produced by Olivia Natt, Caitlin O'Keefe, and Anna Foley.

It was edited by Devin Taylor and Chris Haxell, with help from Mike Benoit. Contains original music by Pat McCusker, Rowan Nemisto, and Alisha Ba'eetoo, and was engineered by Alyssa Moxley. Our theme music is by Jim Brunberg and Ben Landsberg of Wonderly. That's it for The Daily. I'm Natalie Ketroweth. See you tomorrow.

It was edited by Devin Taylor and Chris Haxell, with help from Mike Benoit. Contains original music by Pat McCusker, Rowan Nemisto, and Alisha Ba'eetoo, and was engineered by Alyssa Moxley. Our theme music is by Jim Brunberg and Ben Landsberg of Wonderly. That's it for The Daily. I'm Natalie Ketroweth. See you tomorrow.

Okay, so a very big deal attack carried out in what seems to be a pretty sophisticated way. How did this happen, Mark? How did Ukraine pull this off?

Okay, so a very big deal attack carried out in what seems to be a pretty sophisticated way. How did this happen, Mark? How did Ukraine pull this off?

Wow. It's like a countdown to an attack on your phone live.

Wow. It's like a countdown to an attack on your phone live.

So it sounds like the Ukrainian government looks at this problem and says, okay, this is what we need to solve. How do we stop these long-range missile attacks from these Russian bombers?

So it sounds like the Ukrainian government looks at this problem and says, okay, this is what we need to solve. How do we stop these long-range missile attacks from these Russian bombers?

But, Mark, how does this strategy, while successful on the front lines, get at that original problem we were talking about, which is striking Russia where it hurts in Russian territory, hitting these bombers?

But, Mark, how does this strategy, while successful on the front lines, get at that original problem we were talking about, which is striking Russia where it hurts in Russian territory, hitting these bombers?

So again, the solution isn't there yet.

So again, the solution isn't there yet.

It's Wednesday, June 4th. Mark, we're coming to you because you are one of the correspondents who has been on the ground for the longest in Ukraine. You've been reporting from the front lines, embedding with the Ukrainian military. And we now know what happened this past Sunday was unlike anything we have seen so far in this war.

It's Wednesday, June 4th. Mark, we're coming to you because you are one of the correspondents who has been on the ground for the longest in Ukraine. You've been reporting from the front lines, embedding with the Ukrainian military. And we now know what happened this past Sunday was unlike anything we have seen so far in this war.

We'll be right back. Okay, Mark, take us inside this operation, Operation Spider's Web.

We'll be right back. Okay, Mark, take us inside this operation, Operation Spider's Web.

Okay, so you said step two was training the drones. What did that look like?

Okay, so you said step two was training the drones. What did that look like?

Just clearly an enormous amount of tradecraft went into this.

Just clearly an enormous amount of tradecraft went into this.

Okay, so once they have these drones trained up, they have them hidden, they're in the country, what's the next step?

Okay, so once they have these drones trained up, they have them hidden, they're in the country, what's the next step?

You and a team of reporters have been working to uncover exactly what went down, how it went down, and I want to get to those specifics here today. But first, can you just take us through the events as you experienced them on Sunday?

You and a team of reporters have been working to uncover exactly what went down, how it went down, and I want to get to those specifics here today. But first, can you just take us through the events as you experienced them on Sunday?

Yeah, I've seen these videos. We've published them. It really starts to look at this point like a movie, like some sort of scene from Mission Impossible or something. I mean, this moment is just remarkable to watch in real time.

Yeah, I've seen these videos. We've published them. It really starts to look at this point like a movie, like some sort of scene from Mission Impossible or something. I mean, this moment is just remarkable to watch in real time.

It's just remarkable to imagine these tiny, cheap little drones having that kind of an impact. But Mark, as you've said, we've seen drones being used in this conflict for a long time now. What's different about this time?

It's just remarkable to imagine these tiny, cheap little drones having that kind of an impact. But Mark, as you've said, we've seen drones being used in this conflict for a long time now. What's different about this time?

I also feel like there's another reason this attack is really important, and that's just the timing of it. It comes just a few months after Trump sat with Zelensky in the Oval Office and said Ukraine was not in a good position in its negotiations with Russia over peace, that it didn't have any cards.

I also feel like there's another reason this attack is really important, and that's just the timing of it. It comes just a few months after Trump sat with Zelensky in the Oval Office and said Ukraine was not in a good position in its negotiations with Russia over peace, that it didn't have any cards.