In a significant escalation of hostilities, Ukraine reportedly executed a large-scale drone operation targeting multiple Russian military airfields on Sunday.
The operation, confirmed by the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) an organization with deep ties to Western intelligence agencies, claimed to have neutralize over 40 military aircraft that have been involved in nightly bombings of Ukrainian military targets.
However, only roughly 12 actual hits on Russian bombers have actually so far been confirmed.
Ukrainian drones, cleverly concealed within makeshift “mobile houses” equipped with retractable roofs, were launched from trucks in the Russian regions of Murmansk and Irkutsk.
Video footage shared by the SBU revealed drones striking Olenya airbase and Belaya airfield, both critical sites for Russian strategic bombers, including those capable of carrying nuclear weapons.
The governor of Irkutsk reported that drones were deployed from trucks parked nearby, capturing dramatic images of drones in flight and columns of smoke rising from the airbases.
A source within the SBU disclosed that the operation had been meticulously planned for over a year and a half. The drones emerged from their concealment at precisely the right moment, executing a well-coordinated attack.
Satellite imagery analyzed by experts indicated significant damage at Belaya airbase, with multiple Tu-95 bombers destroyed and a Tu-22M3 likely damaged. Although the evidence indicated far fewer planes were damaged or destroyed than had been claimed by the Ukrainians.
In response, the Russian Ministry of Defense characterized the operation as a “terrorist attack,” claiming that several aircraft caught fire due to the drone strikes.
They asserted that attacks were thwarted at military sites in other regions, such as Ivanovo, Ryazan, and Amur, and reported no casualties among military or civilian personnel.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy praised the operation, calling it an “absolutely brilliant result” and asserting that the drone strikes would somehow be historically significant.
The drone attacks coincided with renewed peace talks scheduled to take place in Istanbul, Turkey, putting additional pressure on the negotiations. In addition they come in the wake of continual troubles for Ukraine on the battlefield, where it continues to lose ground daily.
In a another development, at least seven people were killed when a railway bridge collapsed in Russia’s Bryansk region, an incident attributed to an explosion caused by Ukrainian saboteurs during the passage of a passenger train. Local officials reported that the train derailed due to the bridge’s failure while carrying 388 civilians passengers.
A second bridge in the Kursk region also collapsed due to another sabotage attack, further complicating the situation.
As the conflict continues to escalate, both sides remain entrenched in their positions, with Ukraine intensifying its military operations and Russia launching extensive aerial attacks of its own. The situation remains volatile, with potential implications for the broader geopolitical landscape.
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