In a significant escalation just ahead of anticipated peace negotiations with Ukraine set to occur in Istanbul on Monday, multiple military airbases across Russia have reportedly faced drone assaults, according to official sources.
The Russian Defense Ministry revealed that Ukraine initiated drone strikes targeting military airfields in five distinct regions on Sunday, leading to several aircraft igniting in flames.
These attacks were documented in the Murmansk, Irkutsk, Ivanovo, Ryazan, and Amur regions. Russian air defenses successfully thwarted the assaults in most regions except for Murmansk and Irkutsk, the ministry noted.
“In Murmansk and Irkutsk, FPV drones launched from nearby areas led to several aircraft catching fire,” the ministry stated.
The blazes were extinguished without any reported casualties. Authorities mentioned that some individuals connected to the strikes were apprehended.
Reportedly, the Belaya airbase in Irkutsk, located about 4,300 km (2,700 miles) from the Ukrainian border, and the Olenya airbase in southern Murmansk, approximately 1,800 km (1,100 miles) from Ukraine, were primary targets.
Al Jazeera correspondent Dorsa Jabbari, reporting from Moscow, mentioned that witnesses indicated the drones were launched from sites near the airbases, suggesting a sophisticated operation likely backed by Ukrainian forces that involved various operatives within Russia.
“This marks the largest coordinated attack on multiple military airbases within Russia since the conflict ignited in February 2022,” Jabbari observed, adding that these airbases host Russia’s strategic bombers, which have played a significant role in assaults across Ukraine over the past three years.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian media outlets, including the state-run agency Ukrinform, cited a source from the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) stating that these coordinated attacks were targeted at neutralizing enemy bombers situated far from the frontline.
The operation, known as “Spiderweb,” reportedly involved drones smuggled deep into Russian territory and concealed within trucks. Reports indicated that at least 41 Russian bombers were compromised across four airbases, and the plan had been in the works for over 18 months, personally supervised by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Al Jazeera’s John Hendren in Kyiv described the drone strikes as a “bold operation that Ukraine has been eagerly anticipating,” particularly following a surge in Russian air attacks on Ukraine in recent weeks.
In a separate incident, seven fatalities and 69 injuries were reported when a highway bridge in Russia’s Bryansk region—adjacent to Ukraine—collapsed as a passenger train en route to Moscow crossed it, carrying 388 individuals.
No group has claimed responsibility for this attack, although Russian officials are categorizing it as an “act of terrorism” without directly accusing Ukraine.
These developments unfold as Russia claims further territorial gains into the Sumy region of Ukraine. Open-source maps from pro-Ukrainian sources indicate that Russia seized 450 square kilometers (174 square miles) of Ukrainian territory in May, marking its most rapid advance in at least six months.
Ukraine’s Air Force reported that Russia launched 472 drones overnight—the highest nighttime total recorded in the ongoing conflict—along with seven missile strikes.
As hostilities intensify, both sides have escalated their attacks, with Ukraine confirming its delegation, led by Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, will participate in the Istanbul talks on Monday. Turkiye is mediating the discussions, spurred by US President Donald Trump’s call for a prompt resolution to the ongoing conflict.
Despite previous doubts about the Russian commitment to the upcoming negotiations, Zelenskyy expressed that he had delineated Ukraine’s stance regarding the discussions, emphasizing key priorities such as attaining a complete and unconditional ceasefire and securing the release of prisoners and abducted children.
While Russia has stated that it has determined its own peace proposals, they have withheld details in advance. President Vladimir Putin further dismissed a Turkish suggestion for the talks to convene at the leadership level.