At least four strategic nuclear bombers belonging to the Russian Air Force have been destroyed and the army leadership in Moscow humiliated:

Volodymyr Zelensky (47) congratulates his intelligence chief and calls the drone operation “brilliant.” However, Russia could strike back at Ukraine in a matter of hours.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has celebrated a series of targeted drone attacks on Russian military airfields as an outstanding success for his intelligence services. According to Ukrainian sources, the operation, which Zelensky said was carried out by the domestic intelligence service SBU, hit several Russian air bases deep inside the country, up to 4,000 kilometers from the Ukrainian border.

Russia’s Defense Ministry confirmed on Sunday evening that drone strikes had hit several locations, including military airports in the Ivanovo, Ryazan, Amur, Murmansk, and Irkutsk regions. It spoke of “terrorist acts,” but according to Russian sources, the attacks were repelled and there were no casualties.

“Operation Spider’s Web”: Dozens of aircraft destroyed

Ukraine, on the other hand, reports massive damage on the Russian side. According to the SBU, more than 40 Russian combat and reconnaissance aircraft were destroyed, including Tupolev Tu-95 and Tu-22 strategic bombers and Beriev A-50 early warning aircraft. According to Kiev, this means that around 34 percent of the Russian bomber fleet capable of operating cruise missiles has been put out of action. The estimated damage: around seven billion US dollars. These figures have not yet been independently verified.

According to unconfirmed reports, the SBU used highly complex tactics: combat drones were allegedly launched from mobile hiding places in wooden boxes on trucks directly in Russia. These were opened by remote control, whereupon the drones flew directly to their targets and attacked the Russian bombers.

Although Russian security forces claim to have arrested several suspects, according to the state agency TASS, the Ukrainian secret service said that all agents involved had returned safely to Ukraine. Statements about arrests are part of Russian propaganda, according to Kiev.

Talks on a ceasefire are imminent

The attacks come at a delicate time: talks between Russia and Ukraine on a possible ceasefire are scheduled to take place in Istanbul on Monday. Observers see the targeted attacks and recent acts of sabotage as possible preparations by Kiev to enter the talks with a stronger negotiating position.

On the night before the attacks, there were also mysterious incidents in the Russian border regions of Kursk and Bryansk. Two trains derailed there as a result of bridge collapses. The extent of the damage was particularly dramatic in Bryansk, where seven people were killed and at least 71 were injured. Authorities in Kursk reported one further injury. Russian politicians are talking about deliberate sabotage by Ukraine.

Zelensky: “These actions will go down in history”

“We are defending ourselves. And we are doing everything we can to force Russia to end this war,” President Zelensky said in a post on the X platform.

He described the operation, which has now become public knowledge, as an “absolutely brilliant success” that proves that Russia is not safe even on its own soil.

Russian government officials accused Ukraine of deliberately complicating the negotiation process with such actions. Andrey Kartapolov, chairman of the Duma’s Defense Committee, spoke of a “targeted provocation” that would further harden Moscow’s stance in the upcoming talks.

Image:
Ukrainian Presidential Office