Ukrainian Drones Hit 5 Russian Airbases in Massive Strike, Over 40 Aircraft Reportedly Damaged
In one of the most extensive drone operations of the war so far, Ukraine launched a major aerial assault deep into Russian territory on Sunday, targeting five military airbases. The strike reportedly damaged over 40 Russian aircraft, including nuclear-capable bombers, and marked the first attack of its kind in Siberia.
Russia confirmed that several aircraft “caught fire” due to the drone attacks, which struck airfields in the Murmansk, Irkutsk, Ivanovo, Ryazan, and Amur regions. While the Russian Defence Ministry claimed that assaults on some of the bases were successfully repelled with no reported casualties, it acknowledged fires on the Murmansk and Irkutsk airfields. Authorities added that the blazes were brought under control and several individuals involved had been detained.
Ukrainian sources told AFP that the mission was designed to destroy long-range Russian bombers stationed far from the frontlines. Ukrainian media described it as a coordinated special operation codenamed “Pavutyna” – meaning Spider Web – led by the country’s Security Service (SBU). According to the reports, Ukraine had been planning the operation for nearly a year.
In a clever tactic, drones were stored in wooden sheds mounted on cargo trucks. When the moment came, the truck roofs were opened remotely, allowing the drones to launch silently toward their targets.
The strike reportedly hit the Belaya airbase among others, with footage and satellite images expected to offer further confirmation of the extent of damage in the coming days.
Ukraine has increasingly relied on innovative drone warfare to compensate for its lack of missile resources, frequently targeting Russian military and energy infrastructure.
The timing of the operation is significant, as it comes just before a second round of peace talks between the two nations is set to begin in Istanbul on Monday. Russia’s delegation, headed by Kremlin aide Vladimir Medynsky, has already arrived in Turkey. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed that Ukraine’s team, led by minister Rustem Umerov, would attend.
In a statement ahead of the talks, Zelensky emphasized Ukraine’s core demands: a full and unconditional ceasefire, and the return of all prisoners and abducted children.
This latest attack underscores Kyiv’s strategic shift toward long-range, high-impact strikes—even as diplomatic efforts to end the war continue.
News Source : Information for this article was gathered from a variety of reliable news outlets.
