Ukraine launches an impressive attack with drones hidden in trucks throughout Russian territory
The attack hit the Russian fighter and bomber fleet at several air bases spread across the country and comes on the eve of a meeting between the two countries in Turkey.
Ukrainian drone camera recording
The Ukrainian military, with the help of the SBU intelligence service, launched an attack on Russian air capabilities. The attack, which according to initial reports has destroyed more than 40 Russian aircraft, has hit several air bases spread across the Russian territory.
This attack, one of the most impressive Ukraine has carried out against Russia, comes on the same day that Kiev and Moscow confirmed a new direct summit between authorities of the two countries in Istanbul.
The operation, dubbed "Web," had been in preparation for more than a year, according to Ukrainian media. It involved an attack using suicide drones that were smuggled into Russia hidden in transport trucks.
The Ukrainian intelligence service saw to it that the trucks were spread over as wide an area as possible and reached points near Russian military bases. The drones were allegedly hidden in a false ceiling of the trucks and were released this Sunday to hit air bases near their takeoff site.
According to Ukrainian media outlet Kyiv Independent, there are some 40 Russian aircraft that have been disabled by these means. These would be Russian strategic bombers. Estimates of the amount of damage amount to several hundred million dollars.
"The SBU first transported FPV drones to Russia, and later, on the territory of the Russian Federation, the drones were hidden under the roofs of mobile wooden cabins, already placed on trucks," a Ukrainian military source told the Kyiv Independent.
According to the same source, one of the airfields aattacked was Belaya airbase, in Russia's Irkutsk province, more than 2,500 miles from Ukraine.
Also attacked were Olenya airbase in Russia's Murmansk oblast, Diaghilev airbase in Russia's Ryazan oblast, and Ivanovo airbase in Russia's Ivanovo oblast.
"Currently, more than 40 aircraft are known to have been hit, including A-50s, Tu-95s and Tu-22 M3s," the report added.
Second summit in Istanbul
Ukraine's priorities are to obtain "a complete and unconditional ceasefire" as well as the "return of prisoners" and Ukrainian children that Kiev accuses Moscow of kidnapping, he added.
Russian and Ukrainian delegations already held talks in Istanbul on May 16, aimed at ending the war initiated by the Russian invasion of February 2022.
The meeting was unfruitful, with the two countries only agreeing on significant prisoner exchanges. Russia had proposed a few days ago a new meeting in Istanbul this Monday, but Ukraine held the suspense until this Sunday.
Volodymyr Zelensky accused Moscow on Friday of sabotaging the negotiations by refusing to transmit in advance its "memorandum" detailing conditions for a peace deal.
Russia demands, among other things, that Ukraine definitively renounce joining NATO and hand over to it the five regions whose annexation it claims and currently occupies in part or in whole.
These conditions are unacceptable to Kiev, which demands in return the total and absolute withdrawal of Russian troops from its territory.
Russia also rejects the unconditional ceasefire requested by Ukraine, the United States and European countries.
Zelensky also called on Sunday to "prepare for a meeting at the highest level," namely with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
This is not the first time Zelensky has proposed to meet with Putin, but so far the Russian president has not responded positively.
LATEST
