Ukrainian Drones Strike Multiple Airbases in Russia, Over 40 Aircraft Hit
Ukraine on Sunday launched one of its largest drone-based operations on Russia to date, striking an air base in eastern Siberia, thousands of kilometres (miles) from its border.
The Russian governor of the Irkutsk region confirmed the attack, saying Ukrainian remote-piloted aircraft attacked a military unit in the village of Sridni, the first such attack in Siberia. Russia has confirmed that several of its military aircraft “caught fire” after a large-scale Ukrainian drone attack.
Ukrainian media claimed that a large-scale special operation by Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) has struck “more than 40” Russian aircraft at air bases in the “rear of the Russian Federation”.
Citing officials, news agency AFP reported that Russian airbases in the eastern Siberian city of Belaya, in Olenya, up in the Arctic near Finland, and in Ivanovo and Dyagilevo, both east of Moscow, had been targeted.
The aircraft destroyed in the attack include Tu-95 and Tu-22M3 bombers, and at least one A-50, a report by Kyiv Independent claimed, citing sources. The attack is aimed at destroying enemy bombers far from the front, in Russia, news agency AFP reported, quoting a source, who added that a fire broke out at the targeted Belaya air base.
If confirmed, the strikes would be the most damaging Ukrainian drone attack of the war, and would be a significant setback for Moscow. RT also shared a video of a drone attacking a military unit in Russia’s Irkutsk region.
How The Attack Was Planned
The operation has been launched under a special operation code-named “Pavutyna” – or “Spider Web” – aimed at degrading Russia’s long-range strike capabilities, according to a Ukrainian publication, Pravda.
Ukraine reportedly planned the attack for a year. The drones were hidden in mobile wooden sheds, which were placed on cargo trucks. At chosen times, the roofs of trucks opened remotely, giving time for drones to flow out and target the chosen airbases.
Ukraine, which lacks Russia’s vast arsenal of missiles, has instead built up a large fleet of attack drones, which it has used to attack Russian military and oil facilities in the past as well.
Russia had proposed a fresh round of talks in Istanbul on Monday, a proposal that was accepted by Kyiv. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that a delegation led by his minister Rustem Umerov will be in Istanbul on Monday for talks with Russia.
“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 on Sunday.