A Russian Air Force Tupolev Tu-22M3 could be among the aircraft targeted by Ukraine, online reports indicates F oto:Anton Novoderezhkin/TASS. The text in the article is marked AFP and Moscow Today.
Ukraine said Sunday it launched a «large-scale» attack to destroy Russian bombers as it geared up for talks in Istanbul with Moscow counterparts to explore prospects of a ceasefire.s Moscow Today., reports Moscow Today.
The spectacular claim that Ukraine damaged $2 billion worth of Russian aircraft parked at airbases thousands of kilometers away came as Kyiv announced a Russian military strike killed at least 12 soldiers at an army training site, leading to the resignation of its ground forces commander.
Russia also said two bridges that collapsed in regions bordering Ukraine were brought down by explosions. Officials were treating them as «acts of terrorism» but had not immediately accused Ukraine.
The developments followed Russian ground advances in recent days in Ukraine’s border Sumy region, and both sides unleashing punishing aerial attacks on the other.
Russian Strategic Bombers
Drones have reportedly hit strategic bombers that Russia uses to fire long-range missiles at Ukraine. One of the attacks occurred only about 140 kilometers from Norway, writes the largest Norwegian paper VG.
The Kyiv Independent newspaper reports that Ukraine has launched a large-scale operation against Russian bombers on Russian territory.
– Enemy strategic bombers are burning en masse in Russia, a source in the Ukrainian security service tells the newspaper.
At least 40 bombers are said to have been attacked.
A source in the same service tells the Reuters news agency the same thing.
On Sunday evening, the Russian Defense Ministry calls the attack a terrorist attack. They also confirm that several planes were on fire after the attacks.
Priorities included "a complete and unconditional ceasefire" and the return of prisoners and abducted children, he said on social media.
Russia has said it has formulated its own peace terms, but refused to divulge them in advance. Russian President Vladimir Putin ruled out a Turkish proposal for the meeting to be held at the leaders' level.
Russian news agencies said the Russian delegation was headed to Istanbul on Sunday for the talks.
Drone attacks in Russia
The intensified strikes waged by each side came as Kyiv and Moscow each strived to show themselves coming from a position of strength, reports Moscow Roday..
A source with Ukraine's SBU security service said the coordinated attacks inside Russia were "aimed at destroying enemy bombers far from the front."
The source said 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, writes Moscow Today. New York Times writes that a large-Scale Ukrainian Attack Targets Air Bases in Russia, Authorities Say. Russia’s Defense Ministry said that Ukrainian drones attacked airfields in five regions, and that several aircraft had caught fire, wrotes NYT.com.
