War in Europe

Drones, this is how the largest Ukrainian attack in Russia was organised

Ukraine's 'in-depth' operation brings Moscow damage worth 'over two billion dollars'. All on the eve of the Istanbul talks

2 June 2025

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Key points

Russia admits loss of "some aircraft"
Two sabotages on Russian soil
Moscow's answer
The negotiation of Istanbul in the background

4' min read

It is a storm of fire that accompanies the delegations of Moscow and Kiev en route to Istanbul, where a new round of talks is scheduled to reach peace after three years of conflict. Missiles, drones, acts of sabotage and a complex and deadly attack by Ukrainian 007s against some Russian military airports have marked the last hours of the battle, which seems to be raging and continues to claim victims. In the operation against Russian airfields thousands of kilometres from the front line, "41 bombers were destroyed 41 bombers", Ukrainian intelligence claimed, quantifying the damage at "more than two billion dollars".

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky spoke of an 'absolutely brilliant result. Achieved only by Ukraine. One year, six months and nine days from the start of planning to execution. Our longest-range operation. Our personnel involved in the preparation were withdrawn from Russian territory on time'.

Russia admits loss of 'some aircraft'

Moscow had to admit that 'a number of planes' were hit by a swarm of drones in particular at airports in the regions of Irkutsk, in central Siberia over 8,000 kilometres from the Russian capital, and Murmansk, in Russia's remote northwest a stone's throw from the Finnish border. Further 'terrorist attacks', as the Defence Ministry branded them, 'were repelled' at military airports in three other regions, Ivanovo, Ryazan and even Amur, in the Russian Far East.

The operation by the Ukrainian 007, supervised directly by the head of the Sbu, Vasyl Malyuk, began a year and a half ago: numerous Fpv drones, those normally on the market but armed with explosives, were hidden under the canopies of prefabricated wooden house modules. Loaded onto trucks, they subsequently arrived in Russia in the vicinity of the targets. At x time the armada went into action, led by personnel on site, hitting the military sites. "Don't believe the Russians when they say they have arrested the perpetrators", as was actually the case, was the message from the 007s in Kiev, hinting that special forces already safely in place had gone into action.

Two sabotage attacks on Russian territory

Moscow also had to deal with two sabotage incidents: a road bridge exploded in the Bryansk region, collapsing onto a railway and causing a train to derail. At least seven people died, over 70 were injured, some in serious condition. Another convoy, a goods train without passengers, derailed in Kursk while passing over a blown-up railway bridge.

There is no shortage of international reactions. "The German government has not been informed but Ukraine is not obliged to do so because Ukraine has the right to defend itself," says German government spokesman Stefan Kornelius, responding at a press conference in Berlin to those who asked whether the German executive had been warned by Kiev about the attacks on bases in Russia.

As for the latest Ukrainian military operations in Russia, with several drone raids on Russian territory, "it is not for us to comment on any military strategy on the battlefield. What we can say is that Ukraine is defending itself in line with the UN Charter against Russia's war of aggression,' said EU Commission spokesman Anouar El Anouni at the daily press briefing. As for the Istanbul meeting, the EU supports "diplomatic efforts to achieve a just, comprehensive and lasting peace in Ukraine".b

Moscow's response

On the other front, Kiev reported the largest Russian drone attack since the start of the war in February 2022: 472 drones went into action on the night of Saturday to Sunday, plus seven missiles. In an unspecified location for security reasons, a Russian raid massacred a training centre: at least 12 soldiers were killed, over 60 wounded. The commander of the Land Forces, Mikhailo Drapaty, who had come under fire for recent similar incidents, announced his resignation.

The negotiation of Istanbul as a backdrop

Against this bleak backdrop, new talks between Russians and Ukrainians are opening, following those in mid-May that led to an important prisoner exchange between the parties. The Istanbul meetings are scheduled in the luxurious Ciragan Palace: the Kiev delegation is led by Defence Minister Rustem Umerov, the Russian one by the more modest Vladimir Medinsky, a former minister not considered particularly influential in the Kremlin's inner circle.

"I have defined our positions in view of the Istanbul meeting," Zelensky said, formalising the names of the negotiating team and indicating the priorities: "A complete and unconditional ceasefire, the release of prisoners and the return of abducted children". It is also necessary to "prepare a summit at the highest level", because "key issues can only be resolved by the leaders", Zelensky emphasised referring to a meeting with Vladimir Putin, perhaps even in the presence of Donald Trump, as relaunched by Ankara in recent days. A summit on which Moscow has shown great coldness, conditioning it on eventual 'steps forward' in the Istanbul negotiations.

Zelensky: 'Ready for the necessary steps for peace'

Ukraine is ready to take the 'necessary' steps to achieve peace with Russia, Zelensky said in Vilnius for the summit of NATO eastern flank leaders.

"Our delegation is now in Istanbul and we are ready to take the necessary actions for peace. Of course, a starting point would be a cease-fire and humanitarian actions, the release of prisoners and the return of abducted children,' he said from Lithuania, calling for sanctions against Russia if this meeting in Turkey leads to 'nothing'.