Ukraine destroys Russian strategic bombers in massive drone attack day before ceasefire talks

Published June 1, 2025 10:56am ET



Ukraine performed a coordinated strike on several Russian airfields Sunday as peace talks with Russia in Istanbul were set to be held on Monday.

The attack, which was supervised by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and planned for over a year, destroyed more than 40 Russian planes. The drones had been smuggled into Russia on truck-borne containers, with some of the attacks hitting air bases nearly 2,500 miles from Ukraine.

Already a print subscriber? Click here to login/register your account

Trusted reporting.Unlimited access.

Subscribe for full access to Washington Examiner coverage, expert political analysis, and subscriber-only journalism.

Get Unlimited Access

Already a member? Log in

Cancel anytime.