Daijiworld Media Network - Kyiv

Kyiv, Jun 1: Ukraine carried out a large-scale drone strike on Russian military aircraft on Sunday, hitting more than 40 warplanes including Tu-95 and Tu-22 strategic bombers used by Moscow to launch long-range missile attacks on Ukraine, a Ukrainian security official told Reuters.

The source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the attacks were coordinated by Ukraine’s domestic intelligence agency, the SBU, and targeted four Russian airbases. Footage provided by the source purportedly showed large aircraft, including Tu-95 bombers, ablaze following the strikes. Reuters has not independently verified the claims.

If confirmed, the strike would mark Ukraine’s most damaging drone assault on Russian forces since the full-scale invasion began, potentially dealing a significant blow to Moscow’s aerial capabilities.

Ukraine, which lacks Russia’s extensive missile arsenal, has relied heavily on drone technology to target Russian military and oil infrastructure.

Russia had proposed new peace talks in Istanbul on Monday, but Kyiv has not confirmed whether it will attend.