Ukraine says at least 40 Russian bombers hit in far-reaching drone attacks

ITV News

2 days ago

Ukraine claims to have hit more than 40 Russian military bombers in a mass drone attack on airfields in Siberia, deep in Russia's territory.
A Ukrainian security official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to disclose operational details, told the Associated Press the attack took over a year and a half to execute.
The operation saw drones transported in containers carried by trucks into Irkutsk Oblast, a region in southeastern Siberia, Russia, he said.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy personally supervised the attack, according to the security official.
Video footage circulating online purports to show a drone attack at Belaya airbase in Irkutsk oblast, Siberia, more than 2,500 miles from Ukraine.
It is the first time that a Ukrainian drone has been seen in the region, local Governor Igor Kobzeva said, stressing that it did not present a threat to civilians.
He also said in a statement that the drone had been launched from a truck. Russian officials in the Ryazan and Murmansk regions also reported drone activity on Sunday afternoon, but did not give further details.
Russia has not commented on the incident.
Ukraine's drone attack came the same day as Zelenskyy said Kyiv will send a delegation to Istanbul for a new round of direct peace talks with Russia on Monday.
In a statement on Telegram, Zelenskyy said that Defence Minister Rustem Umerov will lead the Ukrainian delegation.
'We are doing everything to protect our independence, our state and our people,' Zelenskyy said.Ukrainian officials had previously called on the Kremlin to provide a promised memorandum setting out its position on ending the war before the meeting takes place. Moscow had said it would share its memorandum during the talks.
Meanwhile, Russia on Sunday launched 472 drones on Ukraine - the biggest number since the full-scale invasion in February 2022, according to Ukraine's air force.
Russian forces also launched seven missiles alongside the barrage of drones, said Yuriy Ignat, head of communications for the air force.
Earlier Sunday, Ukraine's army said at least 12 Ukrainian service members were killed and more than 60 were injured in a Russian missile strike on an army training unit.