According to a security official, the purported operation struck over 40 warplanes thousands of kilometres from Ukrainian territory. The official stated that the strikes where conducted by Ukraine’s SBU domestic intelligence agency, hitting four Russian military airbases concurrently.

The targeted aircraft reportedly included Tu-95 and Tu-22 strategic bombers, platforms Russia uses to launch long-range missiles at Ukrainian cities. The official, who remained anonymous, told Agence France-Presse that a fire erupted at the Belaya airbase consequently of the attack.

Reuters reported that its source provided video footage appearing to show several large aircraft, resembling Tu-95 bombers, ablaze. The Tu-95,originally designed to carry nuclear bombs,is now primarily used for launching cruise missiles.

Several Russian and Ukrainian media sources have indicated that the drone operation was launched from lorries parked near military airfields within Russia. Ukrainska Pravda cited a source stating that the operation, codenamed “Spiderweb,” had been in preparation for over 18 months. The report detailed that the drones were smuggled into Russia and concealed within small wooden structures mounted on lorries.

Mash, a Telegram channel reportedly linked to Russian security services, posted footage that allegedly showed individuals in siberia’s Irkutsk region attempting to prevent drones from launching from a lorry.

While footage circulating from various military airfields across Russia depicted destroyed aircraft and fires, the extent of the damage remains unclear. One clip, purportedly filmed at the burning airbase in Voskresensk, Moscow region, captured a Russian serviceman exclaiming, “It’s fucked here,” amidst burning bombers.

Since the start of the full-scale invasion in Febuary 2022,Ukraine has faced a significant disadvantage in military firepower compared to Russia. However, it has developed a significant fleet of attack drones used against Russian forces and infrastructure.

The Belaya airbase, allegedly targeted in the recent attack, is located in Russia’s Irkutsk oblast, over 4,000km from Ukraine.Ukraine’s Kyiv Self-reliant newspaper reported that Igor Kobzev, the oblast’s governor, confirmed “a drone attack on a military unit in the village of Sredny,” without providing additional details.

concurrently, Russian investigators have suggested that “explosions” caused the collapse of two bridges in the border regions of Kursk and Bryansk, resulting in train derailments, at least seven fatalities, and numerous injuries.

In Bryansk, which borders Ukraine, a road bridge collapsed onto a railway line, derailing a passenger train en route to Moscow and resulting in at least seven deaths. A rail bridge in neighbouring Kursk also collapsed, derailing a freight train and injuring the driver. Kursk also shares a border with Ukraine.

Andrey Chibis, governor of Murmansk oblast, also confirmed that “enemy drones have attacked the territory of the Murmansk region”.

In March, Ukraine announced the progress of a new drone with a range of 3,000km, but provided no further data.

Separately, the Ukrainian air force reported that Russia launched 472 drones overnight, the highest number in a single night of the war, along with seven missiles.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that a delegation led by his defense minister, rustem umerov, woudl be in Istanbul for talks. “I have also defined our position before the Monday meeting in Istanbul”, which includes priorities to reach “a complete and unconditional ceasefire” and the return of prisoners and abducted children, he said on social media.

“Ukrainian security services are carrying out a large-scale special operation aimed at destroying enemy bombers far from the front, in Russia.”