In a significant operation, Ukrainian forces reportedly used drones to strike air bases deep within Russian territory on Sunday, resulting in the destruction of numerous Russian warplanes.

According to an official, the drone attack, which took over a year to plan, allegedly destroyed 40 aircraft. The Russian defense ministry acknowledged the attack on Sunday, confirming that five airfields were targeted.

An official stated that the operation involved transporting drones in containers via trucks into Russia. The drones are said to have hit 41 planes at several airfields on Sunday afternoon, including A-50, Tu-95, and Tu-22M aircraft.

It is reported that Tupolev Tu-95 and Tu-22 long-range bombers have been used previously by Russia to launch missiles at Ukraine, while A-50 aircraft are used for coordinating targets and detecting air defenses and guided missiles.

The White House informed that President Donald Trump and his administration did not receive advance warning of the attack.

Ukraine claims that President Volodymyr Zelenskyy personally oversaw the drone attack.

“We are doing everything to protect our independence, our state and our people,” Zelenskyy stated.

This strike occurs just before Ukrainian and Russian officials are scheduled to meet for a second round of ceasefire negotiations in Istanbul, Turkey.

On Saturday, a series of explosions also impacted bridges in Russia near the Ukrainian border, although Ukraine has not claimed responsibility for these incidents.

Russian investigators reported that a highway bridge over a railway in the Bryansk region was destroyed at 10:50 pm (1950 GMT) on Saturday night as a passenger train carrying 388 people to Moscow was passing underneath.

Investigators added that just four hours later, a railway bridge over a highway in the neighboring Kursk region was blown up, scattering parts of a freight train onto the road.

‘ Sarah Tobianski, Reuters and

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