Dozens of Russian military aircraft have been destroyed in an unprecedented drone attack deep inside Russia, a Ukrainian official has said, the day before critical peace talks between Moscow and Kyiv resume in Istanbul.
Codenamed ‘spider web’, first-person view (FPV) drones were smuggled deep inside Russian territory inside trucks, before they were unleashed on multiple Russian airfields destroying more than 40 warplanes, Ukrainian security officials said.
Volodymyr Zelensky hailed the “absolutely brilliant” operation which he said destroyed one third of Russia’s strategic cruise missile carriers stationed at air bases.
Russia confirmed on Sunday that Ukraine had targeted military airfields across five regions on Sunday, causing several aircraft to catch fire - but claimed it had repelled most of the attacks.
Vladimir Putin will be “infuriated” by the “unprecedented” attack if it is as damaging as Kyiv claims, head of foreign policy at the New Eurasian Strategies Centre John Lough told The Independent, describing it as a “huge win” for Ukraine.
The attack came one day before delegations from Moscow and Kyiv sit down for direct peace talks in Istanbul at 10am UK time (1pm local time) on Monday. Ukraine’s delegation will be led by defence minister Rustem Umerov, Mr Zelensky said.
Key Points
- Ukraine hits more than 40 Russian aircraft in huge drone attack, Kyiv says
- Zelensky hails 'historic' airbase attacks, claims third of Russian strategic bombers destroyed
- Four killed in Russian shelling in Zaporizhzhia as woman's home destroyed
- Putin will be ‘furious’ after ‘humiliation’ of plane strikes, says Russia expert
- Russia-Ukraine talks to begin 10am Monday, says Turkish source
Four killed in Russian shelling in Zaporizhzhia as woman's home destroyed
22:55
,
Alex Croft
Russian shelling and an air attack killed four people in areas outside the southeastern Ukraine city of Zaporizhzhia, the regional governor said on Sunday.
Ivan Fedorov, writing on the Telegram messaging app, said three women died in a series of Russian shelling incidents targeting the village of Ternuvate, east of Zaporizhzhia. A shop and several homes were badly damaged.
A man died in a nearby district in a Russian strike by a guided aerial bomb, Fedorov said. A private home was destroyed.
Drone attack destroyed one third of Russian strategic bombers, says Zelensky
22:50
,
Alex Croft
Volodymyr Zelensky has claimed that Ukraine’s operation against Russian airfields struck one third of the strategic cruise missile carriers stationed at air bases.
“Today, a brilliant operation was carried out. The preparation took over a year and a half,” he wrote on X alongside his Sunday evening address.
“What’s most interesting, is that the ‘office’ of our operation on Russian territory was located directly next to FSB headquarters in one of their regions.
“In total, 117 drones were used in the operation with a corresponding number of drone operators involved. 34% of the strategic cruise missile carriers stationed at air bases were hit. We will continue this work.”
Today, a brilliant operation was carried out. The preparation took over a year and a half. What’s most interesting, is that the “office” of our operation on Russian territory was located directly next to FSB headquarters in one of their regions.
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) June 1, 2025
In total, 117 drones were used in… pic.twitter.com/tU0SMN9jdB
Russia says it has captured Oleksiivka in Ukraine's Sumy region
22:16
,
Alex Croft
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.
Hundreds of villages are under evacuation orders in the region amid fears that Russia could launch a significant offensive from the northeast.
Recap | Ukraine says Russia launched biggest number of drones in 3-year war today
21:49
,
Alex Croft
Russia launched 472 drones at Ukraine overnight, Ukraine's air force said on Sunday, the highest nightly total of the war so far.
The air force said in a statement that Russia had also launched seven missiles.
It added that 382 of the drones were shot down or otherwise neutralised, along with three of the missiles.
Russia has recently stepped up the amount of drones it launches at Ukraine in its regular nightly barrages.
Zelensky hails 'historic' attack on Russian warplanes
21:30
,
Alex Croft
Volodymyr Zelensky has hailed the “absolutely brilliant” operation against Russian warplanes, saying it will “undoubtedly be in [the[ history books”.
“A result achieved solely by Ukraine. One year, six months, and nine days from the start of planning to effective execution. Our most long-range operation,” Mr Zelensky said
The Ukrainian agents involved in the operation were successfully extracted from Russian territory, he added.
Appearing to refer to the fact that a limited number of videos have so far been released - with analysts saying they cannot independently verify Kyiv’s claim that 41 planes were destroyed - Mr Zelensky said: “I instructed the Security Service of Ukraine to inform the public about the details and results of the operation that can be disclosed.
“Of course, not everything can be revealed at this moment, but these are Ukrainian actions that will undoubtedly be in history books.”
In a later post on X, Mr Zelensky claimed one third of Russian strategic cruise carriers were destroyed.
“In total, 117 drones were used in the operation with a corresponding number of drone operators involved. 34 per cent of the strategic cruise missile carriers stationed at air bases were hit. We will continue this work.”
Head of the Security Service of Ukraine Vasyl Maliuk delivered a report regarding today’s operation. An absolutely brilliant result. A result achieved solely by Ukraine. One year, six months, and nine days from the start of planning to effective execution. Our most long-range… pic.twitter.com/oN41NFYyfw
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) June 1, 2025
Full report: Dozens of Russian warplanes destroyed in Ukrainian drone attack, claims Kyiv
21:02
,
Alex Croft
Dozens of Russian military aircraft have been destroyed in an unprecedented Ukrainian drone attack on military airfields deep inside Russia, Kyiv has said.
The so-called ‘Spider Web’ operation, carried out by Ukraine’s SBU security service, saw drones smuggled thousands of kilometres into Russian territory using lorries, before they were unleashed to destroy more than 40 warplanes, the SBU said.
Vladimir Putin will be “infuriated” by the “unprecedented” attack if it is as damaging as Kyiv claims, Russia expert John Lough told The Independent, describing it as a “huge win” for Ukraine that will boost morale within the military.
Read the full report:
Senior Ukrainian military commander tenders resignation over lethal strike on training facility
20:40
,
Alex Croft
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.
Ukraine to set out roadmap for peace at Istanbul talks, document shows
20:22
,
Alex Croft
Ukrainian negotiators will present to the Russian side a proposed roadmap for reaching a lasting peace settlement in Istanbul, according to a copy of the document seen by news agency Reuters.
The proposed roadmap begins with a full ceasefire of at least 30 days, to be followed by the return of all prisoners held by each side, and of Ukrainian children taken into Russian-held territory, and then a meeting between Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky and Russian leader Vladimir Putin.
Under the blueprint, Moscow and Kyiv – with the participation of the United States and Europe – will work to hash out the terms on which they can agree to put a complete end to their three-year-old war, the biggest conflict in Europe since World War Two.
Ukrainian officials said earlier this week that they had sent the blueprint to the Russian side in advance of the Istanbul talks.
How did Ukraine reportedly strike Russian airbases 4,000 kilometres in Russia?
20:00
,
Alex Croft
A source from Ukraine’s SBU security agency has claimed an airfield more than 4,000 kilometres inside Russia was struck, in what has been hailed as an unprecedented wave of drone strikes.
Here’s what the source told The Kyiv Independent about how the attack was carried out.
The SBU first transported FPV drones to Russia, and later, on the territory of the Russian Federation, the drones were hidden under the roofs of mobile wooden cabins, already placed on trucks.
At the right moment, the roofs of the cabins were opened remotely, and the drones flew to hit Russian bombers.
Currently, more than 40 aircraft are known to have been hit, including the A-50, Tu-95 and Tu-22 M3.
Ukraine's SBU security service source, speaking to The Kyiv Independent
Full report: Zelensky says Ukraine will send a delegation to Istanbul for talks with Russia on Monday
19:38
,
Alex Croft
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, Zelenskyy said Sunday that defense 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.
Watch: Bridge collapse in Russia which left 7 dead investigated as 'sabotage'
19:16
,
Alex Croft
Ukraine did not notify US ahead of drone attacks on Russian air bases, official says
18:55
,
Alex Croft
Ukraine did not notify the United States in advance of drone attacks carried out on Russian air bases, a Ukrainian government official told Reuters on Sunday.
Ukraine's domestic intelligence agency, the SBU, said it was responsible for the attacks on four bases and a security official said a total of 41 Russian warplanes were hit. Russia's Defence Ministry said aircraft had caught fire at bases in two regions, but the blazes had been extinguished
UK to spend £1.5bn on new weapons factories in response to threat posed by Putin
18:34
,
Alex Croft
The government has announced plans to build six new munitions and weapons factories – at a cost of £1.5bn – as ministers seek to improve the UK’s war readiness in the face of growing hostility from Russia.
The plans will form part of a war-ready – or “always on” – pipeline that can be scaled up at short notice.
Making the announcement ahead of a new defence review published on Monday, defence secretary John Healey said the “hard-fought lessons” of Vladimir Putin’s illegal invasion of Ukraine “show a military is only as strong as the industry that stands behind them”.
Whitehall editor Kate Devlin reports:
Drones used in plane strikes were hidden in shed roofs - Ukrainian source
18:16
,
Alex Croft
Ukrainian secret services were able to attack strategic bomber aircraft at Russian air bases on Sunday by hiding explosive-laden drones inside the roofs of wooden sheds, according to a Ukrainian security official and images posted online.
The sheds were loaded onto trucks that were driven to the perimeter of the air bases. The roof panels of the sheds were lifted off by a remotely-activated mechanism, allowing the drones to fly out and begin their attack, the official said.
The security official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said strikes were conducted on Sunday on four air bases, and that a total of 41 Russian warplanes were hit. The claim has not been independently verified.
Unverified video and pictures posted on Russian social media showed Russian strategic bombers on fire at the Belaya air base in the Irkutsk region of Siberia.
Unprecedented attack is a ‘huge win’ for Kyiv - Russia expert
17:58
,
Alex Croft
Ukraine’s attack on Russian airfields, which Kyiv says destroyed dozens of warplanes, is “unprecedented” and a “huge win”
“This is unprecedented. They haven’t been able to hit this number of aircraft on this scale, going to those regions of the country,” said John Lough, head of foreign policy at the New Eurasian Strategies Centre.
“To go out to east Siberia is absolutely phenomenal,” he added.
The scale of the damage will be hard to ascertain, he added, but assuming Kyiv has damaged a number of Russian aircraft quite seriously, it is a “huge win” for Kyiv which will help boost morale, Mr Lough said.
“What it again shows is that the Russians are vulnerable to this type of surprise attack, and they just cannot see this coming. It points to the weaknesses of the Russian system.”
He added: “God knows how [the Ukrainians] actually succeed in doing these things, it’s not simply. But again, it probably shows you the incompetence of Russia and the level of corruption that they’re able to get these drones onto lorries.”
Putin will be ‘furious’ after ‘latest humiliation’, says Russia expert
17:34
,
Alex Croft
Vladimir Putin will be furious about large-scale Ukrainian attacks on Russian warplanes, an expert on Russia has told The Independent, describing it as a “humiliation” for the Russian president.
It will “infuriate” Putin that Ukraine has carried out “something on this scale and nobody knew about it”, said John Lough, head of foreign policy at the New Eurasian Strategies Centre.
Mr Lough said it is a “significant moment” for the Ukrainians who have found a “vulnerability” in Russia. “These are very valuable aircraft. The so-called Z patriots, these Russian pro-war bloggers, are absolutely up in arms about this.”
He added: “It’s an embarrassment. It’s just another humiliation at a moment where Putin is very keen to show the Americans in particular that Ukraine is losing, and [that] it’s only a matter of time before the Russians roll them over.
“It will take the sting out of the Russian claims that they’re about to break through [in the war] or the Ukrainians are about to collapse. It’s a big morale booster [for Kyiv].”
New picture emerges of Ukrainian drone attack deep inside Russia
17:15
,
Alex Croft
Russia confirms Ukrainian attacks on airfields in five regions
16:45
,
Alex Croft
Russia has confirmed that Ukraine had launched drone strikes targeting Russian military airfields across five regions on Sunday, causing several aircraft to catch fire.
The ministry did not confirm how many aircraft were hit. Ukraine’s SBU security agency says it was more than 40.
“The attacks occurred in the Murmansk, Irkutsk, Ivanovo, Ryazan, and Amur regions. Air defences repelled the assaults in all but two regions, Murmansk and Irkutsk”, the ministry said.
"In the Murmansk and Irkutsk regions, the launch of FPV drones from an area in close proximity to airfields resulted in several aircraft catching fire," it added.
The fires were extinguished and no casualties were reported. Some individuals involved in the attacks had been detained, the ministry said.
Ukrainian attacks on Russian warplanes 'really significant' if verified, analyst tells The Independent
16:35
,
Alex Croft
Ukraine’s destruction of more than 40 Russian warplanes would be “really, really significant” if it can be independently verified, a military analyst has told The Independent.
“If the 40 hits are confirmed then it is really, really significant, and a very successful operation,” said Emil Kastehelmi of the Black Bird Group.
The Finnish open-source intelligence organisation has only confirmed six hits so far, but Mr Kastehelmi expects that number to rise.
“Even if it’s just [the six hits which Black Bird Group has confirmed], it’s is still a very successful operation,” he said.
“It’s been done in an interesting way, operating deep inside Russia with FPV [first-person view] drones, which the air defense can’t quickly and very effectively act against whilst they are there.”
The operation may not have gone entirely to plan, Mr Kastehelmi, said. It is “very likely” that one or two of the trucks carrying the drones into Russia exploded before they could reach their targets.
How did Ukraine reportedly strike Russian airbases 4,000 kilometres in Russia?
16:13
,
Alex Croft
A source from Ukraine’s SBU security agency has claimed an airfield more than 4,000 kilometres inside Russia was struck, in what has been hailed as an unprecedented wave of drone strikes.
Here’s what the source told The Kyiv Independent about how the attack was carried out.
The SBU first transported FPV drones to Russia, and later, on the territory of the Russian Federation, the drones were hidden under the roofs of mobile wooden cabins, already placed on trucks.
At the right moment, the roofs of the cabins were opened remotely, and the drones flew to hit Russian bombers.
Currently, more than 40 aircraft are known to have been hit, including the A-50, Tu-95 and Tu-22 M3.
Ukraine's SBU security service source, speaking to The Kyiv Independent
Zelensky aide nods towards drone attack on Russian planes
15:43
,
Alex Croft
Andriy Yermak, the head of the office of the president of Ukraine, has hinted towards the major special operation which Kyiv says has wiped out dozens of Russian aircraft.
The operation was codenamed ‘Spider Web’.
️
— Andriy Yermak (@AndriyYermak) June 1, 2025
Russia-Ukraine talks to begin 10am Monday, says Turkish source
15:26
,
Alex Croft
Talks between delegations from Russia and Ukraine will reopen at 10am UK time on Monday, a Turkish Foreign Ministry source has said.
The talks held in Istanbul will follow on from last month’s direct negotiations - the first such meeting between delegations from Moscow and Kyiv since 2022.
Previous talks failed to make a major breakthrough towards a ceasefire in Ukraine, but did pave the way for future meetings and lead to a major prisoner swap. International mediators will hope that the second round of talks, to be held in Istanbul’s Ciragan Palace, will produce more concrete results.
Watch: Scores of Russian bombers destroyed in airbase drone blitz, claim Ukraine
15:14
,
Alex Croft
Recap | Ukraine says Russia launched biggest number of drones in 3-year war today
15:00
,
Jabed Ahmed
Russia launched 472 drones at Ukraine overnight, Ukraine's air force said on Sunday, the highest nightly total of the war so far.
The air force said in a statement that Russia had also launched seven missiles.
It added that 382 of the drones were shot down or otherwise neutralised, along with three of the missiles.
Russia has recently stepped up the amount of drones it launches at Ukraine in its regular nightly barrages.
Ukraine to set out roadmap for peace at Istanbul talks, document shows
14:31
,
Jabed Ahmed
Ukrainian negotiators will present to the Russian side a proposed roadmap for reaching a lasting peace settlement in Istanbul, according to a copy of the document seen by news agency Reuters.
The proposed roadmap begins with a full ceasefire of at least 30 days, to be followed by the return of all prisoners held by each side, and of Ukrainian children taken into Russian-held territory, and then a meeting between Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky and Russian leader Vladimir Putin.
Under the blueprint, Moscow and Kyiv – with the participation of the United States and Europe – will work to hash out the terms on which they can agree to put a complete end to their three-year-old war, the biggest conflict in Europe since World War Two.
Ukrainian officials said earlier this week that they had sent the blueprint to the Russian side in advance of the Istanbul talks.
Senior Ukrainian military commander tenders resignation over lethal strike on training facility
14:22
,
Tara Cobham
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.
Bulletin | Multiple people dead after two Russian bridges collapse in ‘sabotage’
14:00
,
Jabed Ahmed
Zelensky says Ukraine will send delegation to Istanbul for talks with Russia tomorrow
13:55
,
Tara Cobham
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.
Russian delegation departs for talks with Ukraine in Turkey, according to reports
13:46
,
Tara Cobham
The Russian delegation has departed for talks with Ukraine in Turkey, Russian state news agency RIA has reported, citing sources.
Ukraine says Russia launched biggest number of drones in 3-year war today
13:40
,
Tara Cobham
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.
Russia says it has captured Oleksiivka in Ukraine's Sumy region
13:27
,
Jabed Ahmed
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.
Pictured | bridge collapse and train derailment in Russia's Bryansk region
12:58
,
Jabed Ahmed
Ukraine hits over 40 Russian aircraft with drones, security official says
12:39
,
Jabed Ahmed
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.
Drones attack Russian military unit in Siberia, governor says
12:28
,
Jabed Ahmed
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.
Full report | Britain faces attacks from Russia ‘daily’, minister warns ahead of Starmer’s defence review
12:27
,
Jabed Ahmed
Our Whitehall Editor Kate Devlin reports:
UK defence review signals readiness to deter Russian threat, says Healey
11:59
,
Jabed Ahmed
The strategic defence review is a “message to Moscow”, Defence Secretary John Healey has said.
“This is a message to Moscow as well. This is Britain standing behind, making our armed forces stronger but making our industrial base stronger, and this is part of our readiness to fight, if required,” he told the BBC’s Sunday Morning With Laura Kuenssberg programme.
He said Russia is “attacking the UK daily” in cyberspace.
Asked if he expected a form of real-world attack by Russia on the UK in the coming years, he said: “We have to be prepared. Nato has to be prepared. We see Putin in Ukraine trying to redraw international boundaries by force… it’s part of the growing Russian aggression.”
He added that is why Nato and the UK are “stepping up our ability to deter as well as to defend in the future”.
“The world is more uncertain. The tensions are greater but we prepare for war in order to secure the peace. If you’re strong enough to defeat an enemy you deter them from attacking in the first place,” Mr Healey said.
Watch | 'Britain facing Russian attacks daily' warns John Healey
11:26
,
Jabed Ahmed
Another railway track damaged in Russia's Bryansk region, Russian Railways say
11:08
,
Jabed Ahmed
A railway track on the Unecha-Zhecha section in Russia's Bryansk region was damaged, but there were no casualties, Russian Railways said on Sunday.
"Today at 10:52 on the Unecha-Zhecha section of the Bryansk region, during an inspection of the infrastructure by special equipment, railway workers discovered damage to the track. No one was injured. The movement of suburban and passenger trains on this section is not carried out," Moscow Railways, an affiliate of Russian Railways, said on Telegram.
At least seven people were killed and 69 injured when two bridges were blown up in separate Russian regions bordering Ukraine ahead of planned peace talks aimed at ending the three-year-old war in Ukraine, Russian officials said on Sunday.
Putin received reports on bridge blasts throughout the night, Kremlin says
10:58
,
Jabed Ahmed
Russian President Vladimir Putin received reports throughout the night from the Federal Security Service and the emergencies ministry on incidents involving trains in the Bryansk and Kursk regions, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said.
Recap: At least seven people were killed and 69 injured when two bridges were blown up in the Russian regions bordering Ukraine ahead of planned peace talks aimed at ending the three-year-old war in Ukraine, Russian officials said on Sunday.
What do we know about the explosions
10:28
,
Jabed Ahmed
- At least seven people were killed and 69 injured after two bridges were blown up in Bryansk and Kursk, Russian regions bordering Ukraine.
- In Bryansk, a highway bridge collapsed onto a passenger train carrying 388 people to Moscow late on Saturday night.
- Hours later, a rail bridge in Kursk was also destroyed, scattering debris from a freight train onto a road.
- Russia's Investigative Committee says both blasts were deliberate and likely linked.
- The attacks come just before planned peace talks in Istanbul, backed by the US.
- Ukraine has not commented, though its military intelligence says a Russian military train was also hit by an explosion in occupied Zaporizhzhia.
- Border regions have faced regular attacks since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022.
Russia has lost 987,330 troops in Ukraine since beginning of invasion, says Ukraine
09:58
,
Jabed Ahmed
Russia has lost 988,560 troops in Ukraine since the beginning of its full-scale invasion in 2022, the General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces has said.
This includes 1,230 Russian forces casualties in the past 24 hours.
Was the attack 'sabotage'?
09:29
,
Jabed Ahmed
Russian politicians lined up to blame Ukraine, saying it was clearly sabotage aimed at derailing the peace talks that the United States has demanded.
"This is definitely the work of the Ukrainian special services," the chairman of the defence committee of the lower house of the Russian parliament, Andrei Kartapolov, told the SHOT Telegram channel.
"All this is aimed at toughening the position of the Russian Federation and stoking aggression before the negotiations. And also to intimidate people. But they won't succeed."
US President Donald Trump has demanded the sides make peace and he has threatened to walk away if they do not - potentially pushing responsibility for supporting Ukraine onto the shoulders of European powers.
But as politicians talk of peace negotiations, the war is heating up, with swarms of drones launched by both Russia and Ukraine and Russian troops advancing at key points along the front in eastern Ukraine.
Ukraine has not committed to attending the talks in Turkey, saying it first needed to see Russia's proposals, while a leading US senator warned Moscow it would be "hit hard" by new US sanctions.
Russia says two bridges collapsed due to explosions
09:02
,
Tara Cobham
The bridges collapsed in the Bryansk and Kursk regions due to explosions, Russia's Investigative Committee said on Sunday.
Two bridges collapsed in different Russian regions bordering Ukraine, derailing trains and killing at least seven people and injuring dozens.
Bryansk bridge collapse was 'sabotage', Russian military blogger says
08:34
,
Tara Cobham
The Bryansk bridge collapse was “sabotage”, according to prominent Russian military blogger Semyon Pegov, who uses the name War Gonzo.
The report could not be independently verified. There was no immediate comment from Ukraine.
Among seven killed was locomotive driver, Russia's state news agencies report
08:10
,
Tara Cobham
Among the seven killed in Bryansk was the locomot
