Ukraine has launched a major drone attack to destroy Russian warplanes in Siberia, as the war ramps up shortly before a new round of peace talks.
The 117 Ukrainian drones hit 41 Russian bombers, with Ukraine’s security service saying it had eliminated 34% of Russia’s air missile carrier force in the targeted areas. Russian officials said the strikes reached areas across Siberia, including Irkutsk and Murmansk, as well as western regions like Ivanovo.
“One year, six months, and nine days from the start of planning to effective execution. Our most long-range operation. Our people involved in preparing the operation were withdrawn from Russian territory in time,,” said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
According to Zelenskyy, “34% of the strategic cruise missile carriers at the airfields were hit. Our people were operating in different Russian regions – in three time zones. And our people were withdrawn from the territory of Russia on the eve of the operation, and now they are safe – those who helped us.”
The Russian planes hit included nuclear bombers, fast-attack strike bombers, and command-and-control jets.
Russia also launched 472 drones and seven missiles at Ukraine overnight, its largest overnight drone attack of the war so far.
These attacks come during a significant ramp-up in the war. Russia struck Ukraine with 298 drones and 69 missiles at the end of May, reaching Kyiv and several other cities across the country, and has said it is advancing further into Ukraine’s northeastern Sumy region.
Ukrainian and Russian officials will meet for peace talks in Istanbul on Monday. Ukraine’s priorities reportedly include a full ceasefire, with no international recognition of Russian sovereignty over Ukrainian regions taken by Russia.
Russia declined to offer its negotiating proposals to Ukraine ahead of the talks, with Zelenskyy saying Moscow is “doing everything it can to ensure the next possible meeting is fruitless.” Russian President Vladimir Putin had also refused Türkiye’s proposal for the two leaders to meet directly.
Previous talks between Ukraine and Russia in May resulted in a prisoner exchange, swapping 1,000 prisoners of war from Ukraine for 1,000 Russians.
Two bridges have also collapsed in regions of Russia bordering Ukraine, killing at least seven as trains derailed. Moscow Railway said the collapses were “as a result of an illegal interference in the operation of transport.” Ukrainian officials have not yet commented.
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