Ukraine's long-range drones strike deep inside Russia: Over 40 Russian warplanes, nuclear-capable bombers destroyed
The drone offensive unfolded hours before Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed his country will send a delegation to Istanbul for a fresh round of peace talks with Russia on June 2.
- Jun 1, 2025,
- Updated Jun 1, 2025 9:49 PM IST
In an unprecedented move, Ukrainian drones have struck deep inside Russian territory, targeting strategic airbases and reportedly destroying over 40 military aircraft. A Ukrainian security official confirmed the attack saying the operation involved drones transported covertly in containers by trucks — allowing them to reach airfields as far as 4,000 kilometers from Ukraine.
The strike coincided with Russia launching a barrage of missiles and drones into Ukraine, just one day before direct peace talks are set to resume in Istanbul.
Local governor Igor Kobzev confirmed this was the first time a Ukrainian drone had been detected in the Irkutsk region, where the Belaya air base was hit. He stated the drone was launched from a truck. Drone activity was also reported by officials in Ryazan and Murmansk regions on Sunday afternoon, though details were scant.
Among the damaged aircraft were Tu-95 and Tu-22 bombers — critical components of Russia’s long-range strike capabilities. Video footage verified by Reuters appeared to show Tu-95 bombers engulfed in flames. These aircraft, originally designed to carry nuclear payloads, are now used to launch cruise missiles at Ukrainian targets.
Footage from multiple Russian airfields showed scorched aircraft and ongoing fires, though the total scale of destruction remains uncertain.
The Belaya airbase, located in Russia’s Irkutsk oblast, lies over 4,000km from Ukraine. In March, Ukrainian officials announced the development of a new drone with a 3,000km range, without disclosing further technical details.
Russia launched a record 472 drones at Ukraine on May 31 — the highest number since the full-scale invasion began in February 2022, according to Ukraine’s air force.
The drone offensive unfolded hours before Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed his country will send a delegation to Istanbul for a fresh round of peace talks with Russia on June 2.
Until recently, Ukraine had held off on confirming its participation in renewed direct talks. But on Sunday, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that a delegation, led by Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, would attend the meeting in Istanbul.
(With inputs from APF, Reuters, AP)
In an unprecedented move, Ukrainian drones have struck deep inside Russian territory, targeting strategic airbases and reportedly destroying over 40 military aircraft. A Ukrainian security official confirmed the attack saying the operation involved drones transported covertly in containers by trucks — allowing them to reach airfields as far as 4,000 kilometers from Ukraine.
The strike coincided with Russia launching a barrage of missiles and drones into Ukraine, just one day before direct peace talks are set to resume in Istanbul.
Local governor Igor Kobzev confirmed this was the first time a Ukrainian drone had been detected in the Irkutsk region, where the Belaya air base was hit. He stated the drone was launched from a truck. Drone activity was also reported by officials in Ryazan and Murmansk regions on Sunday afternoon, though details were scant.
Among the damaged aircraft were Tu-95 and Tu-22 bombers — critical components of Russia’s long-range strike capabilities. Video footage verified by Reuters appeared to show Tu-95 bombers engulfed in flames. These aircraft, originally designed to carry nuclear payloads, are now used to launch cruise missiles at Ukrainian targets.
Footage from multiple Russian airfields showed scorched aircraft and ongoing fires, though the total scale of destruction remains uncertain.
The Belaya airbase, located in Russia’s Irkutsk oblast, lies over 4,000km from Ukraine. In March, Ukrainian officials announced the development of a new drone with a 3,000km range, without disclosing further technical details.
Russia launched a record 472 drones at Ukraine on May 31 — the highest number since the full-scale invasion began in February 2022, according to Ukraine’s air force.
The drone offensive unfolded hours before Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed his country will send a delegation to Istanbul for a fresh round of peace talks with Russia on June 2.
Until recently, Ukraine had held off on confirming its participation in renewed direct talks. But on Sunday, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that a delegation, led by Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, would attend the meeting in Istanbul.
(With inputs from APF, Reuters, AP)