On Sunday, Ukraine reportedly carried out a significant drone operation targeting multiple Russian airbases deep within Russian territory, just one day before planned peace negotiations in Istanbul.
According to Ukrainian security sources, the drone strikes hit strategic air facilities in Belaya (Eastern Siberia), Olenya (close to the Finnish border), Ivanovo, and Dyagilevo. The attack allegedly destroyed or damaged over 40 military aircraft at a single site, with estimated losses totaling around $2 billion. These claims have yet to be independently verified by sources such as AFP.
In a related development, Russian authorities confirmed the destruction of two bridges in regions bordering Ukraine. Explosions caused the collapses in the Bryansk and Kursk regions, leading to the derailment of a passenger train in Bryansk that killed seven people and injured others, while the Kursk blast damaged a freight line and injured the operator. Russian officials are treating the incidents as acts of terrorism, though no formal accusations have been made against Ukraine.
The spike in hostilities occurs as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky dispatches a delegation—led by Defense Minister Rustem Umerov—to Istanbul for ceasefire negotiations scheduled for Monday. The diplomatic talks are backed by a push from U.S. President Donald Trump, who has called for an expedited end to the war, now in its third year.
Zelensky has stated that Ukraine’s primary objectives in the talks include securing a “total and unconditional ceasefire,” as well as the return of prisoners of war and abducted children. However, he remains skeptical about Russia’s sincerity in the peace process.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has reportedly declined Turkey’s proposal for a summit-level meeting and has not publicly shared Moscow’s negotiating stance.
Meanwhile, conflict on the ground continues to intensify. A Russian missile strike on a Ukrainian military training site resulted in the deaths of at least 12 soldiers and injured over 60 others. In response, Ukrainian Ground Forces Commander Mykhailo Drapaty tendered his resignation, accepting responsibility for the losses.
On the front lines, Russian forces claim to have captured a village in Ukraine’s northeastern Sumy region. Ukrainian authorities fear this may signal the beginning of a broader ground offensive, with more than 50,000 Russian troops reportedly massed near the border. In anticipation of further escalation, over 200 villages in the region have been evacuated due to heavy shelling.
The situation remains fluid as both sides prepare for what could be a pivotal round of diplomatic engagement.
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