Ukraine launched a “large-scale” drone attack deep into Russian territory that security officials claim destroyed 40 military bombers as it gears up for another round of talks in Istanbul to explore prospects of a ceasefire.
Ukrainian security sources told CBS News that the attack — called “Operation Spider’s Web” — took over a year and a half to execute and was personally supervised by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
In his evening address, Zelenskyy said that 117 drones had been used in the operation. He claimed the operation had been headquartered out of an office next to the local FSB headquarters. The FSB is the Russian intelligence and security service.
Security Service of Ukraine smuggled drones inside the roofs of mobile wooden cabins carried by trucks deep into Russian territory, the Ukrainian security sources said. At the time of the attack, the roofs were remotely opened, allowing the drones to take off.
The drones hit airfields including the Belaya air base in Russia’s Irkutsk region, more than 2,500 miles from Ukraine. It is the first time that a Ukrainian drone has been seen in the region, local Gov. Igor Kobzev told AP, stressing that it did not present a threat to civilians.
The Security Service of Ukraine said that the operation had destroyed 34% of Russia’s fleet of air missile carriers with damages estimated at $7 billion. The claim could not be independently verified.
While White House spokespeople declined to comment on the attack, administration sources told CBS News on Sunday that the White House was not aware it was coming.
The drone attack came as Kyiv announced a Russian military strike killed at least 12 soldiers at an army training site. Ukraine’s air force said 472 Russian drones were launched — the biggest number since the full-scale invasion three years ago.
Russian forces also launched seven missiles alongside the barrage of drones, said Yuriy Ignat, head of communications for the Ukrainian air force.
The training unit is located to the rear of the 620-mile active front line, where Russian reconnaissance and strike drones are able to strike.
Meanwhile, explosions caused two bridges to collapse and derailed two trains in western Russia overnight, officials said Sunday, without saying what had caused the blasts. In one of the incidents, seven people were killed and dozens were injured.
The first bridge, in the Bryansk region on the border with Ukraine, collapsed on top of a passenger train on Saturday, causing casualties. The train’s driver was among those killed, state-run Russian Railways said.
Hours later, officials said a second train derailed when the bridge beneath it collapsed in the nearby Kursk region, which also borders Ukraine.
Zelenskyy said on Sunday that he was sending a Ukrainian delegation to Istanbul, led by Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, for another face-to-face with Russian representatives.
“We are doing everything to protect our independence, our state and our people,” he said.
Zelenskyy said priorities for the meeting include “a complete and unconditional ceasefire” and the return of prisoners and abducted children.
Russian news agencies said the Russian delegation was headed to Istanbul on Sunday for the talks.
Ukrainian officials had previously called on the Kremlin to provide a promised memorandum setting out its position on ending the war before the meeting took place. Moscow had said it would share its memorandum during the talks.
Via CBS