Washington DC - Ukraine's daring drone attack on Russian bombers over the weekend has increased the risk of escalation to "unacceptable" levels, President Donald Trump's envoy Keith Kellogg said.

"The risk levels are going way up," Kellogg told Fox News on Tuesday.

"When you attack an opponent's part of their national survival system, which is their nuclear triad, that means your risk level goes up because you don't know what the other side is going to do."

Ukraine conducted a massive drone attack against Russian military airbases on Sunday, saying it had destroyed several Russian nuclear-capable bombers worth billions of dollars.

Joke of the Day Joke of the Day for September 13, 2025: A cat joke to celebrate Caturday!

LGBTQ+ Utah governor defends trans romantic partner of alleged Charlie Kirk shooter as MAGA rages

The triad refers to a country's nuclear strike capabilities across land, air, and sea.

"But any time you attack the triad, it is not so much the damage done on the bombers... it's the psychological impact you have," said Kellogg, adding that it showed Ukraine "is not lying down on this."

The attack also showed Ukraine can raise risk levels "that are basically to me, they've got to be unacceptable."

Since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, it has flexed its nuclear might to deter Kyiv's allies from intervening militarily.

Russia fired a medium-range Oreshnik missile at Ukraine in November that was not loaded but has the capability of carrying a nuclear warhead.

It is not the first time Ukraine has challenged Russia's strategic nuclear deterrence. In 2024, it struck an advanced radar system designed to warn Moscow of incoming ballistic missiles.