More than 40 Russian military aircraft have been destroyed in a large-scale drone attack, a Ukrainian official has said.
Tu-95 and Tu-22 strategic bombers, which Russia uses to fire long-range missiles at Ukraine, were among the planes struck by Ukraine’s domestic security agency, the SBU, an SBU source told Reuters. The report could not be independently verified.
Pro-Russian bloggers said Ukraine attacked Russian nuclear-capable long-range bombers at a military base in Siberia on Sunday.
Unverified video and pictures posted on social media showed Russian strategic bombers on fire at the Belaya air base north of Irkutsk.
Igor Kobzev, the governor of Irkutsk, said that there had been a drone attack on a military unit near the village of Sredny in the Usolsky district, but did not mention strategic aviation.
The reported attack comes as seven people were killed and 69 more injured after bridges collapsed in separate incidents across Russia.
Russian officials said a highway bridge collapsed onto railway tracks, derailing an approaching train in the Bryansk region late on Saturday, while a separate collapse in the Kursk region occurred as a freight train crossed a bridge early on Sunday.
Russia’s Railways initially blamed the collapse in the Bryansk region, which borders Ukraine, on “illegal interference in the operation of transport”, in a likely reference to Ukrainian saboteurs, but the Telegram post was later removed.
There was no immediate comment from Ukraine.
Senior Ukrainian military commander tenders resignation over lethal strike on training facility
The commander of Ukraine’s land forces, one of the most senior positions in the country’s armed forces, announced on Sunday that he was tendering his resignation, citing a lethal strike on Ukrainian military training facility.
Tara Cobham1 June 2025 14:22
Bulletin | Multiple people dead after two Russian bridges collapse in ‘sabotage’
Jabed Ahmed1 June 2025 14:00
Zelensky says Ukraine will send delegation to Istanbul for talks with Russia tomorrow
Ukraine will send a delegation to Istanbul for a new round of direct peace talks with Russia on Monday, president Volodymyr Zelensky said, even as Russia pounded Ukraine with a missile strike that killed 12 soldiers and the biggest drone assault of the three-year war.
In a statement on Telegram, Mr Zelensky said on Sunday that defence minister Rustem Umerov will lead the Ukrainian delegation. “We are doing everything to protect our independence, our state and our people,” Mr Zelensky said.
Ukrainian officials had previously called on the Kremlin to provide a promised memorandum setting out its position on ending the war before the meeting takes place. Moscow had said it would share its memorandum during the talks.
Tara Cobham1 June 2025 13:55
Russian delegation departs for talks with Ukraine in Turkey, according to reports
The Russian delegation has departed for talks with Ukraine in Turkey, Russian state news agency RIA has reported, citing sources.
Tara Cobham1 June 2025 13:46
Ukraine says Russia launched biggest number of drones in 3-year war today
Russia launched the biggest number of drones on Ukraine since the full-scale invasion three years ago, Ukraine’s air force said on Sunday.
The air force said 472 drones were launched over Ukraine. Russian forces also launched seven missiles alongside the barrage of drones, said Yuriy Ignat, head of communications for the Ukrainian air force.
Tara Cobham1 June 2025 13:40
Russia says it has captured Oleksiivka in Ukraine’s Sumy region
Russia’s Defence Ministry has said Russian forces captured Oleksiivka in Ukraine’s Sumy region.
It comes a day after the ministry claimed its forces captured two villages in eastern Ukraine – Novopil in Donetsk region and Vodolagy in Sumy region,
The Independent could not verify battlefield reports.
Jabed Ahmed1 June 2025 13:27
Pictured | bridge collapse and train derailment in Russia’s Bryansk region
Jabed Ahmed1 June 2025 12:58
Ukraine hits over 40 Russian aircraft with drones, security official says
Ukraine’s domestic security agency, the SBU, conducted a large drone attack on over 40 Russian military aircraft on Sunday, an SBU official told news agency Reuters.
The source, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the struck aircraft included Tu-95 and Tu-22 strategic bombers, which Russia uses to fire long-range missiles at Ukraine.
The Independent could not immediately verify the statement.
The source shared video footage which they said showed the strikes, Reuters reported.
Jabed Ahmed1 June 2025 12:39
Drones attack Russian military unit in Siberia, governor says
Drones attacked a military unit in the Sredny settlement in Russia’s Irkutsk region, Igor Kobzev, the regional governor, said.
He added that “the source from where the drones were fired has already been blocked” and that it was the first such attack in Siberia.
We will bring you the latest updates as they come.
Jabed Ahmed1 June 2025 12:28
Full report | Britain faces attacks from Russia ‘daily’, minister warns ahead of Starmer’s defence review
Our Whitehall Editor Kate Devlin reports:
Jabed Ahmed1 June 2025 12:27
