Ukraine launched a major drone attack deep into Russian territory, targeting nuclear-capable bombers at a strategic airbase in Siberia. The attack was described as a “large-scale special operation” to destroy long-range enemy aircraft, as per sources quoted by Reuters.Also read: How Ukraine struck nuclear bombers thousands of kilometres inside RussiaA Ukrainian security source told Reuters that over 40 Russian military aircraft were hit in a coordinated drone strike on the Belaya airbase in Irkutsk Oblast—more than 4,300 km from the Ukrainian border. The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the assault was carried out by Ukraine’s domestic security agency, the SBU, and included strikes on both Tu-95 and Tu-22 bombers, which Russia has used to launch missile attacks on Ukraine.Ukraine claimed it had damaged $2 billion worth of Russian aircraft at the airbases in the strike.“Enemy strategic bombers are burning en masse in Russia,” the SBU said in a statement, accompanied by dramatic video footage showing explosions and smoke rising from the site.The Belaya airbase, located near the village of Sredny in eastern Siberia, is known to host Tupolev Tu-22M long-range supersonic bombers. Igor Kobzev, the governor of Irkutsk, confirmed a drone attack on a military unit in the Usolsky district, though he did not mention strategic aviation. In footage he posted on Telegram, drones could be heard overhead as a massive plume of smoke billowed into the sky. Kobzev added that it was the first such incident in that region and said the drones had been launched from a truck.Ukrainian sources told BBC that the strikes also targeted airbase near Murmansk, another hub for Russian strategic aviation. Russian media confirmed a drone attack in the area, while stating that air defences were activated in response.
Russia confirms drone strikes
Russia’s ministry of defence has confirmed that Ukraine launched drone attacks on airfields in five regions: Murmansk, Irkutsk, Ivanovo, Ryazan, and Amur. In a statement posted on Telegram, the ministry described the strikes as a “terrorist attack” and claimed all were “repelled”.It added: “As a result of the launch of FPV drones from the territory located in the immediate vicinity of airfields, several pieces of aviation equipment caught fire.” The fires have since been extinguished, and no casualties have been reported.Russian authorities have detained a truck driver suspected of involvement in the attacks. According to state-run outlet Tass, the suspect is due to be questioned, though the “exact number of UAVs [drones] has not yet been counted”. Officials maintain there is no ongoing threat to the public. The defence ministry confirmed that several “participants” in the incident have been arrested.The strikes come as Russia launched what Ukraine’s air force described as its largest drone barrage since the start of the full-scale invasion. According to Air Force spokesman Yuriy Ignat, 472 drones and seven missiles were fired at Ukraine on Sunday, with Ukrainian forces reportedly neutralising 385 aerial targets.These developments come amid preparations for a fresh round of direct peace talks in Istanbul, where Ukrainian Defence Minister Rustem Umerov is set to lead Kyiv’s delegation. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukraine was doing “everything to protect our independence, our state and our people.”Sunday also saw a deadly Russian missile strike on a Ukrainian army training unit, killing at least 12 soldiers and injuring over 60, prompting an internal investigation into possible command failures.
