Ukraine Launches Large-Scale Drone Attack on Russia

Ukraine launched a large-scale drone attack on Russian air bases on Sunday, targeting sites across five time zones from eastern Siberia to Russia's western border, damaging or destroying several Russian aircraft. Russia's Defense Ministry reported attacks on airfields in five regions, including Murmansk and Irkutsk, with several aircraft catching fire. A Ukrainian security official claimed dozens of aircraft were damaged, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called the results "absolutely brilliant." The attack came as Ukraine suffered a damaging blow, with Russia striking a Ukrainian military training base and killing at least 12 soldiers. The violence escalated ahead of cease-fire negotiations in Istanbul on Monday.

Ukrainian forces conducted a large-scale drone attack, dubbed "Operation Spiderweb," targeting Russian air bases thousands of miles from the front lines, destroying dozens of Russian warplanes. The operation, which took over a year and a half to plan, involved smuggling drones into Russian territory and hiding them in mobile wooden houses on trucks. The drones then launched strikes on four Russian air bases, including Belaya in Irkutsk, Olenya base near Murmansk in the Arctic Circle, Dyagilevo base in Ryazan, and Ivanovo air base. The attack resulted in an estimated $7 billion in damages and hit 34% of Russia's strategic cruise missile carriers. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said 117 drones were used in the operation, which was a significant military and propaganda win for Ukraine, catching Russia off guard.

Russia and Ukraine are set to meet again for peace talks in Turkey on June 2, but neither side is optimistic about the outcome. Since their last meeting, Russia has launched significant drone attacks against Ukraine, killed over 340 civilians, and continued to push its narrative about the war. Ukraine has also carried out strikes on Russian airbases, targeting four airbases deep inside Russia. The Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelensky, has accused Russia of not wanting to end the war, citing Russia's failure to present its ceasefire plan. Russia is sticking to its maximalist demands, including the elimination of the "root causes" of the conflict, which Ukraine sees as a threat to its sovereignty. The talks may be largely driven by US pressure, with President Donald Trump pushing for a peace process and threatening consequences if both sides don't cooperate. However, Moscow's actions suggest it is not interested in a ceasefire, and has instead intensified its attacks on Ukraine.