Monday, June 2, 2025 - Ukraine has launched a far-reaching drone offensive reportedly destroying or damaging $7 billion worth of Russian military aircraft in what is being described as one of the most daring strikes of the modern era. The operation targeted several Russian airbases located thousands of kilometres from the front line, ahead of high-stakes ceasefire talks scheduled in Istanbul.
Ukrainian authorities on Sunday, June 1, said the attack was
a “large-scale” operation aimed at disabling Russian bombers. A source from
Ukraine’s SBU security service said the drones struck airbases in Belaya
(Siberia), Olenya (near the Finnish border in the Arctic), as well as Ivanovo
and Dyagilevo (east of Moscow). The Belaya airbase was reportedly the hardest
hit, with over 40 aircraft damaged and fires breaking out across the facility.
Footage circulated online appeared to show aircraft engulfed
in flames with thick black smoke rising from the site. While AFP could not
independently verify the claims or videos, Russia’s defence ministry
acknowledged that several military planes had caught fire and stated that some
suspects had been detained.
The governor of Russia’s Irkutsk region, Igor Kobzev,
confirmed the incident and said it was the first such drone attack in Siberia.
Residents were urged not to panic. Similarly, Murmansk region governor Andrey
Chibis confirmed “enemy drones” had flown overhead and that air defences had
responded.
This attack marks a rare and bold strike deep inside Russian
territory. Drone assaults have typically been concentrated closer to the front
lines, but Sunday’s operation demonstrated Ukraine’s increasing long-range
capabilities.
At the same time, Ukraine suffered a deadly blow when a
Russian missile strike on a training unit killed at least 12 Ukrainian soldiers
and wounded more than 60 others. According to the Ukrainian military, most of
the victims were sheltering at the time of the strike. The attack prompted the
resignation of ground forces commander Mykhailo Drapaty, who cited his
responsibility for the tragic loss.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that
Defence Minister Rustem Umerov would lead Kyiv’s delegation to Istanbul for
ceasefire talks with Russian officials on Monday. He reiterated Ukraine’s
negotiating priorities: an unconditional ceasefire, the return of prisoners of
war, and the repatriation of children abducted by Russia. He previously voiced
skepticism about Russia’s sincerity but said Ukraine would attend with a
defined position.
Russia confirmed it was sending its own delegation to
Istanbul but declined to release its peace terms. President Vladimir Putin
rejected Turkey’s proposal to hold the talks at the heads-of-state level.
Sunday also saw intensified fighting on the ground. The
Russian military claimed to have captured another village in Ukraine’s northern
Sumy region, an area where Moscow has reportedly massed over 50,000 troops.
Zelensky warned that Russia might be preparing for a renewed ground assault in
the region. Ukrainian authorities have evacuated more than 200 villages in
anticipation of further attacks.
Meanwhile, inside Russia, two major bridge collapses were
reported over the weekend. In Bryansk region, a blast caused a road bridge to
collapse, derailing a passenger train bound for Moscow and killing seven
people. Hours later, a freight train was derailed by another blast on a rail
bridge in neighbouring Kursk region, injuring the train’s driver. Russian
officials are treating the incidents as acts of terrorism but have not
officially named any perpetrators. A criminal investigation is underway.
Adding to the intensity, Ukraine’s air force reported a
record-breaking wave of Russian aerial attacks overnight, with 472 drones and
seven missiles launched against Ukrainian territory, the highest number since
the start of the war.
The latest developments highlight the rapidly escalating
military and strategic dimensions of the conflict, even as both sides prepare
to meet for talks that could shape the next phase of the war.
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