Ukraine carried out one of its most extensive drone operations against Russia on Sunday, striking a military facility in the village of Sridni in the Irkutsk region of eastern Siberia, thousands of kilometers from the front lines. The strike, confirmed by Irkutsk’s regional governor, marks Ukraine’s first acknowledged drone attack on Siberian territory. In response, Russian authorities deployed military and emergency units to contain the aftermath and claimed they had neutralized the origin of the drone launches.
Codenamed Pavutyna (“Web”), the operation was reportedly orchestrated by Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) and targeted over 40 Russian military aircraft across multiple airbases. Among the four reported targets were Olenya and Belaya, where significant damage was inflicted. Strategic bombers such as the Tu-95 and Tu-22M3 were reportedly destroyed, along with an A-50 airborne early warning aircraft. A major fire was reported at Belaya following the strikes.
As military tensions rise, diplomatic efforts are also gaining momentum. Russia has proposed a new round of negotiations in Istanbul, which Ukraine has agreed to join. President Volodymyr Zelensky emphasized that Ukraine’s key conditions include a complete ceasefire, the return of all prisoners of war, and the repatriation of abducted children.