Ukraine Russia Aircraft Losses: Istanbul Talks
A Ukrainian drone attack crippled over 40 Russian aircraft deep inside Russia, creating a meaningful shift just before peace talks in Istanbul. This daring operation, personally overseen by President Zelenskyy, successfully targeted Russian airfields, crippling a significant portion of their air missile carriers. The implications of this strike are far-reaching, potentially altering the balance of power as Ukraine and Russia prepare for direct negotiations, with the attack occurring hours before the slated peace talks. News Directory 3 keeps a close watch on this situation. Understand the potential impact of the attack and what it might mean for any settlement; will it push one side towards the table? Discover what’s next as the world awaits the outcome of the Istanbul talks, and the potential for a diplomatic resolution to the ongoing conflict.
Ukraine Drone Attack Targets Russian Airfields Ahead of Peace Talks
A Ukrainian drone attack reportedly destroyed over 40 Russian aircraft deep within Russia, according to Ukraine’s Security Service. The incident occurred just hours before a new round of direct peace talks between Ukraine and Russia scheduled for Istanbul.
The far-reaching operation, which took over a year and a half to plan, was personally overseen by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, according to a military official who spoke on condition of anonymity to disclose operational details.
The military source described the operation as “extremely complex,” involving smuggling first-person view (FPV) drones into Russia and housing them in mobile wooden structures. The drones were concealed under the roofs of these houses, transported on trucks, and then launched remotely to strike Russian bombers, the source said.
Russian media shared social media footage that appeared to show drones emerging from containers, with discarded panels visible on the road. One clip showed individuals attempting to stop the drones by climbing onto a truck.
the drones targeted 41 planes stationed at military airfields, including A-50, tu-95, and Tu-22M aircraft, the official stated. Russia has previously used Tupolev Tu-95 and Tu-22 long-range bombers to launch missiles at Ukraine,while A-50s are used for target coordination and air defense detection.
The Security Service of Ukraine claimed the operation,codenamed ”Web,” destroyed 34% of Russia’s fleet of air missile carriers,with estimated damages of $7 billion. This claim could not be independently verified.
Russia’s Defense Ministry confirmed the attacks, stating that aircraft were damaged and fires broke out at air bases in the Irkutsk region, over 2,500 miles from Ukraine, and the Murmansk region. The ministry also reported repelling strikes in the Amur region and the western regions of Ivanovo and Ryazan.
Zelenskyy announced that Defense Minister Rustem Umerov will lead the Ukrainian delegation to the peace talks in Istanbul. “We are doing everything to protect our independence, our state and our people,” Zelenskyy said in a Telegram statement.
Earlier, Ukrainian officials urged the Kremlin to provide a promised memorandum outlining its position on ending the war before the meeting. Moscow stated it would share its memorandum during the talks.
Separately, Russia’s top investigative body reported that explosions caused two bridges to collapse and two trains to derail in western Russia overnight, resulting in seven deaths and dozens of injuries. However, the word “explosions” was later removed from the Investigative Commitee’s press release, and the cause of the blasts was not specified.
Ukraine’s air force reported that Russia launched 472 drones on ukraine, the highest number as the full-scale invasion in February 2022. Along with the drones, Russian forces launched seven missiles, according to Yuriy Ignat, head of communications for the air force.
Earlier, the Ukrainian army reported that a Russian missile strike on an army training unit killed at least 12 service members and injured more than 60. The strike occurred at 12:50 p.m., with the army emphasizing that no mass gatherings were taking place at the time.
Following the attack, Ukrainian army commander Mykhailo Drapatyi submitted his resignation. Drapatyi was a respected commander credited with leading Ukraine to regain territory on the eastern front for the first time since Kyiv’s 2022 counteroffensive.
Russia’s Ministry of Defense announced it had taken control of the village of Oleksiivka in Ukraine’s Sumy region. Ukrainian authorities in Sumy ordered mandatory evacuations in 11 more settlements as russian forces advance in the area.
Oleksandr Syrskyi, Ukraine’s top army chief, stated that Russian forces were focusing their main offensive efforts on Pokrovsk, Toretsk, and lyman in the Donetsk region, and also the Sumy border area.
What’s next
The outcome of the peace talks in Istanbul remains uncertain as both sides continue military operations. The international community is closely watching to see if a diplomatic resolution can be reached to de-escalate the conflict.