Ukraine launches major drone attack on Russian airbases, hits over 40 aircraft

Reuters

Ukraine has carried out one of its largest drone strikes of the war, reportedly hitting more than 40 Russian military aircraft at multiple air bases, a Ukrainian security official told Reuters on Sunday.

The source, speaking anonymously, said the attack was conducted by Ukraine’s SBU intelligence agency and targeted four separate Russian airfields.

Among the aircraft struck were Tu-95 and Tu-22 strategic bombers, which Moscow has used to launch long-range missile attacks on Ukraine.

Video footage shared by the source showed several large aircraft ablaze, some appearing to be Tu-95 bombers.

If confirmed, the attack would represent the most damaging drone strike by Ukraine since the start of the war, marking a major blow to Russia’s air power.

Reuters has not independently verified the footage or the full extent of the damage.

Ukraine has leaned heavily on drone warfare in recent months, compensating for its lack of long-range missiles by developing a growing fleet of domestically produced attack drones.

The strike comes just ahead of a proposed meeting in Istanbul, initiated by Russia. Kyiv has confirmed its attendance, with Defence Minister Rustem Umerov set to lead the delegation.

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