Ukraine launched a major drone attack against Russian military airbases on Sunday, striking thousands of kilometres from the front line in what President Volodymyr Zelensky said was a "brilliant" operation. He said that the attack caused significant losses to Russia - which is entirely "justified" and "deserved".
In the operation, code-named "Spider's web", Ukraine used 117 drones, involving a corresponding number of drone operators, Zelensky said, adding that the strategic cruise missile carriers stationed at air bases were hit in Russia.
"Our people operated across several Russian regions - in three different time zones. The preparation took over a year and a half. Planning, organisation, every detail was perfectly executed. It can be said with confidence that this was an absolutely unique operation," he said in a post on X.
"It's genuinely satisfying when something I authorized a year and six months ago comes to fruition and deprives Russians of over forty units of strategic aviation. We will continue this work," he added.
Zelensky also informed that the people who assisted Kyiv with the attack were withdrawn from Russian territory before the operation and taken to a safe zone.
According to him, shortly before they carried out the attack, Ukraine had received intelligence input indicating that Russia was preparing for another strike.
"It is very important for all our people not to ignore the air raid alerts. Last night, there were nearly 500 Russian drones, attack drones. Each week, they have been increasing the number of units used per strike. Now, they have also prepared Kalibr missiles launched from naval carriers. We know exactly who we are dealing with. We will defend ourselves by all means available to us - to Ukraine and the Ukrainian people," he said.
The Ukrainian President said that Kyiv had offered a ceasefire to Moscow.
"Not for a single second did we want this war. Since March 11, the US proposal for a full and unconditional ceasefire has been on the table. It was the Russians who chose to continue the war - even under conditions where the entire world is calling for an end to the killing," he said.
"Pressure is truly needed, pressure on Russia that should bring it back to reality. Pressure through sanctions. Pressure from our forces. Pressure through diplomacy. All of it must work together," Zelensky added.
Ukraine's strike comes a day before the peace talks scheduled to be held between Moscow and Kyiv in Istanbul. The attacks were aimed at destroying enemy bombers far from the front in Russia, reported news agency AFP. Reports said that the strikes targeted Russian airbases in the eastern Siberian city of Belaya, Olenya, in the Arctic near Finland, and Ivanovo and Dyagilevo - both east of Moscow.
On Sunday, two bridges collapsed in different parts of Russian regions bordering Ukraine, derailing trains and killing at least seven people. Russian investigators said they believed "explosions" had caused the collapse of bridges in Kursk and Bryansk regions.
The war between Russia and Ukraine began in February 2022, with both countries engaged in continuous cross-border shelling, drone strikes, and covert raids. US President Donald Trump has been mediating between the two countries, urging them to work together on a deal to end the war.
