Multiple military airbases in Russia were targeted in a significant drone attack attributed to Ukraine, just before peace talks set to begin in Istanbul. According to the Russian Defence Ministry, Ukrainian forces launched strikes on military airfields across five regions on Sunday, resulting in several aircraft catching fire.
The drone attacks hit airbases in the Murmansk, Irkutsk, Ivanovo, Ryazan, and Amur regions. While air defenses intercepted most of the drones, the assaults were successful in Murmansk and Irkutsk. The ministry reported that drones launched near these airfields caused fires, which were eventually extinguished, and no casualties were reported. Some individuals linked to the attacks have been detained.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy praised the operation, calling it "absolutely brilliant" and highlighting that it inflicted significant losses on Russia. He noted that the operation had been in preparation for over a year and a half. In his nightly address, Zelenskyy stated that 117 drones were used in the attacks, claiming that Ukraine had caused Russia "very tangible losses."
The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) estimated that the strikes damaged Russian military planes worth around $7 billion. The targeted bases included the Belaya airbase in Irkutsk and the Olenya airbase in Murmansk, both located thousands of kilometers from Ukraine. Reports indicated that the SBU coordinated the attacks using drones hidden in trucks, aiming to destroy Russian bombers far from the front lines. Witnesses and local officials confirmed that the drones were launched from nearby locations, suggesting a well-planned operation involving multiple people within Russia.
This marked the largest coordinated drone strike on Russian military airbases since the conflict began in February 2022. The targeted bases are known for housing strategic bombers that have been used in attacks on Ukraine.
As tensions escalate, Russia reported that it had launched 472 drones at Ukraine overnight, the highest number in a single night so far during the war. This increase in assaults coincides with Ukraine’s confirmation that it will send a delegation to Istanbul for talks with Russian officials, led by Defence Minister Rustem Umerov. Zelenskyy has outlined Ukraine’s priorities for the talks, including an unconditional ceasefire and the return of prisoners and abducted children.
While Russia has stated it has its own peace terms, it has not disclosed them publicly. Russian President Vladimir Putin has also rejected a proposal for the meeting to be held at the leaders’ level, indicating that both sides remain entrenched in their positions as the conflict continues.