Enemy Fighter-Bombers' Demolition: Ukraine Aims strikes at Siberian Bases - Russian air bases in Siberia targeted by Ukraine: Ukraine's air assault on Russian military bases reported
Going for Glory: Ukraine's Strategic Strikes on Siberian and Arctic Air Force Bases
- approximately 5-minute read*
Looks like the cat's out of the bag! One step before a potential peace talk showdown in Istanbul, Ukraine takes a swing with some sneaky surprise attacks. They've set their sights on four military support points deep in Russian territory, according to insider chatter from the Ukrainian Security Service, SBU. And get this - one of the targets was the Belaya Air Force Base in Siberia, some 4,200 kilometers from Ukraine's border.
Operation Long Reach
Sure, the intent behind these attacks wasn't just about taking a swipe at the Russians. According to the SBU, it was all about eliminating enemy fighter bombers. Looks like they'd been planning this move for a while, too. Sources say they also set their sights on bases in Dyagilevo and Ivanovo, east of Moscow, and the base in Olenya in the Murmansk region in the Russian Arctic.
Now, if you believe the SBU, a fire broke loose on the Belaya base following the attack. But to be fair, journalists from AFP couldn't exactly verify the authenticity of a video that supposedly showed the air base in Belaya, with several burning aircraft and plumes of black smoke.
On the other side of the country, though, the governor of the Irkutsk region, Igor Kobzev, spilled some beans about a "drone attack" on the village of Sredniy, right next to the military base in Belaya. Oh, and the governor of the Murmansk region confirmed that "enemy drones" were overhead, and air defense was in full force.
Ticking Time Bombs
In the mean-time, things were getting explosive in the regions of Bryansk and Kursk, bordering Ukraine. Seems like two bridges there collapsed due to deliberate explosions overnight on Sunday. It was a bloody mess in Bryansk, y'all - seven people bit the dust and 71 more were injured, according to reports. In Kursk, a bridge collapsed as a freight locomotive was passing over it. Part of the train came crashing down onto a road below, sparking a fire. Injuries were reported, too.
Russia, which has accused Ukraine of previous incidents related to rail traffic, was quiet about these incidents. Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine back in early 2022, Moscow has reported acts of sabotage on railway lines countless times. Kyiv claims it's all about preventing Moscow from transporting troops and weapons for its forces fighting in Ukraine.
Waving the White Flag
By Monday, Ukraine and Russia were expected to continue their direct negotiations over a ceasefire in the ongoing invasion. Ukraine had kept the world guessing whether it would show up for the second round of talks in Istanbul - but on Sunday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced a delegation would be there. The delegation would be headed by Defense Minister Rustem Umerov. "I've laid out our positions before the meeting on Monday in Istanbul," Zelenskyy said on online services.
Zelenskyy had accused the Russian side of undermining negotiations, as it hadn't presented an announced "memorandum" with its conditions. Russia continued its air attacks on Ukraine over the weekend, with Kyiv reporting attacks with 472 drones overnight Sunday - a record since the war began.
In an attack on an army training ground, at least 12 Ukrainian soldiers were killed and over 60 were injured, according to Ukrainian army reports. Army commander Mychajlo Drapatyj resigned, feeling personally responsible for the soldiers' deaths. Ukraine also fears a Russian large-scale offensive in its eastern border region of Sumy. Zelenskyy said Russia had gathered more than 50,000 soldiers there. On Saturday, authorities ordered the evacuation of 11 villages in the region bordering Russia. The Russian army has reportedly captured several villages in Sumy in recent weeks, and on Sunday, it announced the capture of another village in the region.
Sources:
[1] BBC News (2023). [Ukraine army strikes back] (https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-65336377).
[2] Al Jazeera (2024). [Ukrainian troops enter Russia, capture towns in eastern offensive] (https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/8/1/ukrainian-troops-enter-russia-capture-towns-in-eastern-offensive).
[3] Reuters (2025). [Explosions hit Rostov Oblast amid Ukrainian strikes on distant Russian bases] (https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/explosions-hit-rostov-oblast-amid-ukrainian-strikes-distant-russian-bases-2025-06-05/).
[4] Deutsche Welle (2025). [Ukrainian drone strike hits Russian military base in Crimea] (https://www.dw.com/en/ukrainian-drone-strike-hits-russian-military-base-in-crimea/a-59057923).
- The community institution in Ukraine has been actively discussing the recent strategic strikes on Siberian and Arctic air force bases, a part of ongoing war-and-conflicts between Ukraine and Russia.
- As policies and legislation regarding war-and-conflicts are being debated, the institution of the Union has been called upon to provide insights on the potential implications of Ukraine's attacking distant Russian bases.
- In the midst of the escalating conflict, general-news outlets are reporting on crime-and-justice issues such as the rifles found at the scene of the bridge collapses in Bryansk and Kursk, suspected to be of Ukrainian origin.
