Ukraine destroys 40 Russian aircrafts in huge drone attack
Ukraine has launched a massive drone attack deep in Russian territory, destroying more than 40 military aircraft, a Ukrainian security official confirmed to the Associated Press.
The operation, code-named 'Spiderweb,' took over a year and a half to execute and was personally supervised by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
In a statement shared on the social media platform X, Mr Zelenksy said, 'In total, 117 drones were used in the operation with a corresponding number of drone operators involved.'
Ukrainian officials confirmed the drones were smuggled into Russia and concealed under the roofs of small wooden sheds, which were loaded onto trucks and driven to the perimeter of the airbases.
The drones struck airfields including the Belaya airbase in Russia's Irkutsk region, more than 4,000km from Ukraine.
If you'd like to view this content, please adjust your .
To find out more about how we use cookies, please see our Cookie Guide.
In another statement shared on X, Mr Zelensky described the attack as an 'absolutely brilliant result'.
If you'd like to view this content, please adjust your .
To find out more about how we use cookies, please see our Cookie Guide.
Video from military airfields across Russia showed destroyed aircraft and planes engulfed in flames.
If you'd like to view this content, please adjust your .
To find out more about how we use cookies, please see our Cookie Guide.
Meanwhile, Russia unleashed its most intense aerial bombardment of the war so far, firing 472 drones and seven missiles at targets across Ukraine on Sunday.
The dramatic escalation comes just one day before Ukrainian and Russian officials are scheduled to meet for a new round of ceasefire talks in Istanbul.
US President Donald Trump has demanded Russia and Ukraine make peace, and he has threatened to walk away if they do not - potentially pushing responsibility for supporting Ukraine onto the shoulders of European powers, which have far less cash and much smaller stocks of weapons than the United States.
According to Mr Trump's envoy, Keith Kellogg, the two sides will present their respective documents outlining their ideas for peace terms in Istanbul, though it is clear that after three years of intense war, Moscow and Kyiv remain far apart.
Mr Putin ordered tens of thousands of troops to invade Ukraine in February 2022 after eight years of fighting in eastern Ukraine between Russian-backed separatists and Ukrainian troops. The United States says over 1.2 million people have been killed and injured in the war since 2022.
Mr Trump has called Mr Putin 'crazy' and berated Mr Zelensky in public in the Oval Office, but the US President has also said that he thinks peace is achievable and that if Mr Putin delays, then he could impose tough sanctions on Russia.
In June last year, Mr Putin set out his opening terms for an immediate end to the war: Ukraine must drop its NATO ambitions and withdraw all of its troops from the entirety of the territory of four Ukrainian regions claimed and mostly controlled by Russia.
Ukrainian negotiators in Istanbul will present to the Russian side a proposed roadmap for reaching a lasting peace settlement, according to a copy of the document seen by Reuters.
According to the document, there will be no restrictions on Ukraine's military strength after a peace deal is struck, no international recognition of Russian sovereignty over parts of Ukraine taken by Moscow's forces, and reparations for Ukraine.
The document also stated that the current location of the front line will be the starting point for negotiations about territory.
Russia currently controls a little under one fifth of Ukraine, or about 113,100 square km, about the same size as the US state of Ohio.
- With AAP
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Australian
an hour ago
- The Australian
Dutch government falls as far-right leader Wilders quits coalition
Far-right Dutch leader Geert Wilders withdrew his party from the government Tuesday in a row over immigration, bringing down a shaky coalition and likely ushering in snap elections. Wilders has been frustrated with what he saw as the slow pace of introducing the "strictest-ever immigration policy", agreed with coalition partners after his shock election win in November 2023. "No signature for our asylum plans... PVV leaves the coalition," said Wilders on X, formerly Twitter, referring to his far-right Freedom Party. The withdrawal opens up a period of political uncertainty in the European Union's fifth-largest economy and major exporter, as far-right parties make gains across the continent. The latest government crisis also comes just weeks before the Netherlands is due to host world leaders for a NATO summit. Last-ditch crisis talks on Tuesday morning lasted barely half an hour before the leaders of the four coalition parties came out in a testy mood. "I have just informed the prime minister that I will withdraw the PVV ministers from the cabinet and that we can no longer bear responsibility for this," said Wilders. "I signed up for the strictest asylum policy, not for the downfall of the Netherlands and that our responsibility for this cabinet therefore ends at this moment," he added. Eighteen months after his surprise election win sent shockwaves through Europe, polls suggest his PVV is still the strongest. However, the gap to his nearest rivals has narrowed, with the left-wing Green/Left party of former European Commission vice-president Frans Timmermans following close behind. The liberal VVD party, a traditional powerhouse in Dutch politics, are also running near the top two, meaning any election would likely be closely fought. VVD leader Dilan Yesilgoz, visibly angry, described Wilders' move as "super irresponsible", adding she was afraid it would open the door to left-wing parties. "How can you do this to the Netherlands?" she told reporters. - 'Patience was up' - In late May, Wilders called an impromptu press conference to announce his "patience was up" with the government of Prime Minister Dick Schoof. He threatened to torpedo the coalition if a new 10-point plan to crimp immigration was not implemented within a few weeks. His plan included border closures for asylum seekers, tougher border controls and deporting dual nationals convicted of a crime. Summarising his demands, he said: "Close the borders for asylum seekers and family reunifications. No more asylum centres opened. Close them." Political and legal experts criticised the plans as unworkable or illegal, with some suggesting Wilders was creating a crisis to collapse the government. The far-right leader has often been called the "Dutch Trump" for his anti-immigrant views -- and instantly recognisable bouffant hairstyle. His ambitions to lead his country were frustrated after his election win, as his coalition partners blocked his premiership bid, settling instead on Schoof as a compromise candidate. The leaders of the four coalition partners agreed not to take up cabinet positions, instead running their parties as parliamentary chiefs. Wilders has been an uncompromising figure in parliament, his quick-witted jousting with Timmermans being a highlight of debates. He has frequently said that the only way to implement his anti-immigrant policies is for him to become prime minister. However, in the fractured Dutch political system, no party can win an absolute majority in the 150-seat parliament and Wilders will need partners. He can count on the support of the BBB farmers' party. The backing of the VVD -- currently an uneasy coalition partner -- is less certain. The fourth party in the current coalition -- the anti-corruption New Social Contract -- has seen support collapse since charismatic leader Pieter Omtzigt stepped down. Far-right parties have been on the rise across Europe. In May, the far-right Chega ("Enough") party took second place in Portuguese elections. In Germany, the anti-immigration far-right AfD doubled its score in legislative elections in February, reaching 20.8 percent. And in Britain, polls show the anti-immigration, hard-right Reform UK party of Nigel Farage is making significant gains following a breakthrough in local elections. ric/fg
The Advertiser
an hour ago
- The Advertiser
At least 27 Palestinians killed near Gaza aid site
At least 27 Palestinians have been killed and dozens wounded by Israeli fire near a food distribution site in the southern Gaza Strip, local health authorities say. The Israeli military said its forces had opened fire on a group of individuals who had left designated access routes near the distribution centre in Rafah. It added it was still investigating what had happened. The deaths came hours after Israel said three of its soldiers had been killed in fighting in the northern Gaza Strip, as its forces pushed ahead with a months-long offensive against Hamas militants that has laid waste to much of the enclave. Reuters could not independently verify the reports in northern and southern Gaza. The US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation launched its first distribution sites last week in an effort to alleviate widespread hunger amongst Gaza's war-battered population, most of whom have had to abandon their homes to flee fighting. The Foundation's aid plan, which bypasses traditional aid groups, has come under fierce criticism from the United Nations and established charities which say it does not follow humanitarian principles. The private group, which is endorsed by Israel, said it distributed 21 truckloads of food early Tuesday and that the aid operation was "conducted safely and without incident within the site". However, there have been reports of repeated killings near Rafah as crowds gather to get desperately needed supplies. Israeli forces in the Gaza Strip opened fire as people headed toward an aid distribution site a kilometre away, killing at least three people and wounding dozens, health officials and a witness say. The military said it fired warning shots at "suspects" who approached its forces. UN Secretary General António Guterres called for an independent investigation into alleged Israeli strikes near aid centres, prompting a sharp rebuke from the Israeli government. Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Oren Marmorstein called Guterres' statement a "disgrace" and criticised the UN chief for failing to mention Palestinian Islamist group Hamas or its rejection of ceasefire and hostage release proposals. "Not a word about the fact that Hamas is the one shooting civilians and trying to prevent them from collecting aid packages," Marmorstein wrote in a post on X. In a separate incident on Monday, an Israeli strike on a residential building in northern Gaza killed 14 people, according to health officials. The Shifa and al-Ahli hospitals confirmed the toll from the strike in the built-up Jabaliya refugee camp, saying five women and seven children were among those killed. The military said it had struck "terror targets" across northern Gaza, without elaborating. A Red Cross field hospital received 50 wounded people, including two declared dead on arrival, after the shooting in southern Gaza, according to Hisham Mhanna, a Red Cross spokesperson. with dpa At least 27 Palestinians have been killed and dozens wounded by Israeli fire near a food distribution site in the southern Gaza Strip, local health authorities say. The Israeli military said its forces had opened fire on a group of individuals who had left designated access routes near the distribution centre in Rafah. It added it was still investigating what had happened. The deaths came hours after Israel said three of its soldiers had been killed in fighting in the northern Gaza Strip, as its forces pushed ahead with a months-long offensive against Hamas militants that has laid waste to much of the enclave. Reuters could not independently verify the reports in northern and southern Gaza. The US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation launched its first distribution sites last week in an effort to alleviate widespread hunger amongst Gaza's war-battered population, most of whom have had to abandon their homes to flee fighting. The Foundation's aid plan, which bypasses traditional aid groups, has come under fierce criticism from the United Nations and established charities which say it does not follow humanitarian principles. The private group, which is endorsed by Israel, said it distributed 21 truckloads of food early Tuesday and that the aid operation was "conducted safely and without incident within the site". However, there have been reports of repeated killings near Rafah as crowds gather to get desperately needed supplies. Israeli forces in the Gaza Strip opened fire as people headed toward an aid distribution site a kilometre away, killing at least three people and wounding dozens, health officials and a witness say. The military said it fired warning shots at "suspects" who approached its forces. UN Secretary General António Guterres called for an independent investigation into alleged Israeli strikes near aid centres, prompting a sharp rebuke from the Israeli government. Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Oren Marmorstein called Guterres' statement a "disgrace" and criticised the UN chief for failing to mention Palestinian Islamist group Hamas or its rejection of ceasefire and hostage release proposals. "Not a word about the fact that Hamas is the one shooting civilians and trying to prevent them from collecting aid packages," Marmorstein wrote in a post on X. In a separate incident on Monday, an Israeli strike on a residential building in northern Gaza killed 14 people, according to health officials. The Shifa and al-Ahli hospitals confirmed the toll from the strike in the built-up Jabaliya refugee camp, saying five women and seven children were among those killed. The military said it had struck "terror targets" across northern Gaza, without elaborating. A Red Cross field hospital received 50 wounded people, including two declared dead on arrival, after the shooting in southern Gaza, according to Hisham Mhanna, a Red Cross spokesperson. with dpa At least 27 Palestinians have been killed and dozens wounded by Israeli fire near a food distribution site in the southern Gaza Strip, local health authorities say. The Israeli military said its forces had opened fire on a group of individuals who had left designated access routes near the distribution centre in Rafah. It added it was still investigating what had happened. The deaths came hours after Israel said three of its soldiers had been killed in fighting in the northern Gaza Strip, as its forces pushed ahead with a months-long offensive against Hamas militants that has laid waste to much of the enclave. Reuters could not independently verify the reports in northern and southern Gaza. The US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation launched its first distribution sites last week in an effort to alleviate widespread hunger amongst Gaza's war-battered population, most of whom have had to abandon their homes to flee fighting. The Foundation's aid plan, which bypasses traditional aid groups, has come under fierce criticism from the United Nations and established charities which say it does not follow humanitarian principles. The private group, which is endorsed by Israel, said it distributed 21 truckloads of food early Tuesday and that the aid operation was "conducted safely and without incident within the site". However, there have been reports of repeated killings near Rafah as crowds gather to get desperately needed supplies. Israeli forces in the Gaza Strip opened fire as people headed toward an aid distribution site a kilometre away, killing at least three people and wounding dozens, health officials and a witness say. The military said it fired warning shots at "suspects" who approached its forces. UN Secretary General António Guterres called for an independent investigation into alleged Israeli strikes near aid centres, prompting a sharp rebuke from the Israeli government. Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Oren Marmorstein called Guterres' statement a "disgrace" and criticised the UN chief for failing to mention Palestinian Islamist group Hamas or its rejection of ceasefire and hostage release proposals. "Not a word about the fact that Hamas is the one shooting civilians and trying to prevent them from collecting aid packages," Marmorstein wrote in a post on X. In a separate incident on Monday, an Israeli strike on a residential building in northern Gaza killed 14 people, according to health officials. The Shifa and al-Ahli hospitals confirmed the toll from the strike in the built-up Jabaliya refugee camp, saying five women and seven children were among those killed. The military said it had struck "terror targets" across northern Gaza, without elaborating. A Red Cross field hospital received 50 wounded people, including two declared dead on arrival, after the shooting in southern Gaza, according to Hisham Mhanna, a Red Cross spokesperson. with dpa At least 27 Palestinians have been killed and dozens wounded by Israeli fire near a food distribution site in the southern Gaza Strip, local health authorities say. The Israeli military said its forces had opened fire on a group of individuals who had left designated access routes near the distribution centre in Rafah. It added it was still investigating what had happened. The deaths came hours after Israel said three of its soldiers had been killed in fighting in the northern Gaza Strip, as its forces pushed ahead with a months-long offensive against Hamas militants that has laid waste to much of the enclave. Reuters could not independently verify the reports in northern and southern Gaza. The US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation launched its first distribution sites last week in an effort to alleviate widespread hunger amongst Gaza's war-battered population, most of whom have had to abandon their homes to flee fighting. The Foundation's aid plan, which bypasses traditional aid groups, has come under fierce criticism from the United Nations and established charities which say it does not follow humanitarian principles. The private group, which is endorsed by Israel, said it distributed 21 truckloads of food early Tuesday and that the aid operation was "conducted safely and without incident within the site". However, there have been reports of repeated killings near Rafah as crowds gather to get desperately needed supplies. Israeli forces in the Gaza Strip opened fire as people headed toward an aid distribution site a kilometre away, killing at least three people and wounding dozens, health officials and a witness say. The military said it fired warning shots at "suspects" who approached its forces. UN Secretary General António Guterres called for an independent investigation into alleged Israeli strikes near aid centres, prompting a sharp rebuke from the Israeli government. Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Oren Marmorstein called Guterres' statement a "disgrace" and criticised the UN chief for failing to mention Palestinian Islamist group Hamas or its rejection of ceasefire and hostage release proposals. "Not a word about the fact that Hamas is the one shooting civilians and trying to prevent them from collecting aid packages," Marmorstein wrote in a post on X. In a separate incident on Monday, an Israeli strike on a residential building in northern Gaza killed 14 people, according to health officials. The Shifa and al-Ahli hospitals confirmed the toll from the strike in the built-up Jabaliya refugee camp, saying five women and seven children were among those killed. The military said it had struck "terror targets" across northern Gaza, without elaborating. A Red Cross field hospital received 50 wounded people, including two declared dead on arrival, after the shooting in southern Gaza, according to Hisham Mhanna, a Red Cross spokesperson. with dpa
The Advertiser
an hour ago
- The Advertiser
Dutch government collapses as Wilders quits coalition
The Dutch coalition government has collapsed after far-right leader Geert Wilders withdrew his PVV party in a dispute over migration policy. Wilders said his coalition partners were not willing to embrace his ideas of halting asylum migration, for which he had demanded immediate support last week. "No signature under our asylum plans. The PVV leaves the coalition," Wilders said in a post on X. Wilders said he had informed Prime Minister Dick Schoof that all ministers from his PVV party would quit the government. Schoof has not yet reacted to the resignation. Wilders' surprise move ends an already fragile coalition which has struggled to reach any consensus since its installation last July. It will likely bring new elections in a few months, adding to political uncertainty in the euro zone's fifth-largest economy. It will likely also delay a decision on a possibly historic increase in defence spending to meet new NATO targets. And it will leave the Netherlands with only a caretaker government when it receives NATO country leaders for a summit to decide on these targets in The Hague later this month. Wilders' coalition partners responded with disbelief and anger. "This is making us look like a fool," the leader of the conservative VVD party Dilan Yesilgoz said. "There is a war on our continent. Instead of meeting the challenge, Wilders is showing he is not willing to take responsibility." "This is incredible," leader of the centrist NSC party Nicolien van Vroonhoven said. "It is irresponsible to take down the government at this point." With PVV out, the others parties have the theoretical option to try and proceed as a minority government. They are not expected to, and have yet to confirm it. Wilders won the most recent election in the Netherlands, but recent polls show he has lost support since joining government. Polls now put his party at around 20 per cent of the votes, roughly at par with the Labour/Green combination that is currently the second-largest in parliament. Wilders had last week demanded immediate support for his proposals to completely halt asylum migration, send Syrian refugees back to their home country and to close asylum shelters. Coalition partners did not embrace his idea, and had said it was up to the migration minister from Wilders' own party to work on specific proposals. Wilders was not part of the government himself as its leader or a minister. He was convicted for discrimination after he insulted Moroccans at a campaign rally in 2014 and only managed to strike a coalition deal with three other conservative parties last year after he gave up his bid to become prime minister. with AP and DPA The Dutch coalition government has collapsed after far-right leader Geert Wilders withdrew his PVV party in a dispute over migration policy. Wilders said his coalition partners were not willing to embrace his ideas of halting asylum migration, for which he had demanded immediate support last week. "No signature under our asylum plans. The PVV leaves the coalition," Wilders said in a post on X. Wilders said he had informed Prime Minister Dick Schoof that all ministers from his PVV party would quit the government. Schoof has not yet reacted to the resignation. Wilders' surprise move ends an already fragile coalition which has struggled to reach any consensus since its installation last July. It will likely bring new elections in a few months, adding to political uncertainty in the euro zone's fifth-largest economy. It will likely also delay a decision on a possibly historic increase in defence spending to meet new NATO targets. And it will leave the Netherlands with only a caretaker government when it receives NATO country leaders for a summit to decide on these targets in The Hague later this month. Wilders' coalition partners responded with disbelief and anger. "This is making us look like a fool," the leader of the conservative VVD party Dilan Yesilgoz said. "There is a war on our continent. Instead of meeting the challenge, Wilders is showing he is not willing to take responsibility." "This is incredible," leader of the centrist NSC party Nicolien van Vroonhoven said. "It is irresponsible to take down the government at this point." With PVV out, the others parties have the theoretical option to try and proceed as a minority government. They are not expected to, and have yet to confirm it. Wilders won the most recent election in the Netherlands, but recent polls show he has lost support since joining government. Polls now put his party at around 20 per cent of the votes, roughly at par with the Labour/Green combination that is currently the second-largest in parliament. Wilders had last week demanded immediate support for his proposals to completely halt asylum migration, send Syrian refugees back to their home country and to close asylum shelters. Coalition partners did not embrace his idea, and had said it was up to the migration minister from Wilders' own party to work on specific proposals. Wilders was not part of the government himself as its leader or a minister. He was convicted for discrimination after he insulted Moroccans at a campaign rally in 2014 and only managed to strike a coalition deal with three other conservative parties last year after he gave up his bid to become prime minister. with AP and DPA The Dutch coalition government has collapsed after far-right leader Geert Wilders withdrew his PVV party in a dispute over migration policy. Wilders said his coalition partners were not willing to embrace his ideas of halting asylum migration, for which he had demanded immediate support last week. "No signature under our asylum plans. The PVV leaves the coalition," Wilders said in a post on X. Wilders said he had informed Prime Minister Dick Schoof that all ministers from his PVV party would quit the government. Schoof has not yet reacted to the resignation. Wilders' surprise move ends an already fragile coalition which has struggled to reach any consensus since its installation last July. It will likely bring new elections in a few months, adding to political uncertainty in the euro zone's fifth-largest economy. It will likely also delay a decision on a possibly historic increase in defence spending to meet new NATO targets. And it will leave the Netherlands with only a caretaker government when it receives NATO country leaders for a summit to decide on these targets in The Hague later this month. Wilders' coalition partners responded with disbelief and anger. "This is making us look like a fool," the leader of the conservative VVD party Dilan Yesilgoz said. "There is a war on our continent. Instead of meeting the challenge, Wilders is showing he is not willing to take responsibility." "This is incredible," leader of the centrist NSC party Nicolien van Vroonhoven said. "It is irresponsible to take down the government at this point." With PVV out, the others parties have the theoretical option to try and proceed as a minority government. They are not expected to, and have yet to confirm it. Wilders won the most recent election in the Netherlands, but recent polls show he has lost support since joining government. Polls now put his party at around 20 per cent of the votes, roughly at par with the Labour/Green combination that is currently the second-largest in parliament. Wilders had last week demanded immediate support for his proposals to completely halt asylum migration, send Syrian refugees back to their home country and to close asylum shelters. Coalition partners did not embrace his idea, and had said it was up to the migration minister from Wilders' own party to work on specific proposals. Wilders was not part of the government himself as its leader or a minister. He was convicted for discrimination after he insulted Moroccans at a campaign rally in 2014 and only managed to strike a coalition deal with three other conservative parties last year after he gave up his bid to become prime minister. with AP and DPA The Dutch coalition government has collapsed after far-right leader Geert Wilders withdrew his PVV party in a dispute over migration policy. Wilders said his coalition partners were not willing to embrace his ideas of halting asylum migration, for which he had demanded immediate support last week. "No signature under our asylum plans. The PVV leaves the coalition," Wilders said in a post on X. Wilders said he had informed Prime Minister Dick Schoof that all ministers from his PVV party would quit the government. Schoof has not yet reacted to the resignation. Wilders' surprise move ends an already fragile coalition which has struggled to reach any consensus since its installation last July. It will likely bring new elections in a few months, adding to political uncertainty in the euro zone's fifth-largest economy. It will likely also delay a decision on a possibly historic increase in defence spending to meet new NATO targets. And it will leave the Netherlands with only a caretaker government when it receives NATO country leaders for a summit to decide on these targets in The Hague later this month. Wilders' coalition partners responded with disbelief and anger. "This is making us look like a fool," the leader of the conservative VVD party Dilan Yesilgoz said. "There is a war on our continent. Instead of meeting the challenge, Wilders is showing he is not willing to take responsibility." "This is incredible," leader of the centrist NSC party Nicolien van Vroonhoven said. "It is irresponsible to take down the government at this point." With PVV out, the others parties have the theoretical option to try and proceed as a minority government. They are not expected to, and have yet to confirm it. Wilders won the most recent election in the Netherlands, but recent polls show he has lost support since joining government. Polls now put his party at around 20 per cent of the votes, roughly at par with the Labour/Green combination that is currently the second-largest in parliament. Wilders had last week demanded immediate support for his proposals to completely halt asylum migration, send Syrian refugees back to their home country and to close asylum shelters. Coalition partners did not embrace his idea, and had said it was up to the migration minister from Wilders' own party to work on specific proposals. Wilders was not part of the government himself as its leader or a minister. He was convicted for discrimination after he insulted Moroccans at a campaign rally in 2014 and only managed to strike a coalition deal with three other conservative parties last year after he gave up his bid to become prime minister. with AP and DPA
