US Defense Secretary Monitors Major Ukrainian Drone Strike on Russia
Ukraine claims destruction of 41 Russian aircraft as peace talks approach
Ukraine launched what it described as a sophisticated drone operation against Russian military aircraft, with U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth reportedly monitoring the situation. According to Ukrainian officials, the attack destroyed more than 40 Russian planes at multiple airfields deep within Russian territory. A senior U.S. defense official, speaking anonymously, indicated that the United States had not received prior notification of the attack and noted it demonstrated unprecedented sophistication.
The Ukrainian Security Service claimed the operation, codenamed "Web," destroyed 34% of Russia's fleet of air missile carriers with damages estimated at $7 billion. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that 117 drones were used in the operation, which reportedly took over a year and a half to plan and execute. Russian officials confirmed attacks on multiple air bases, including locations thousands of kilometers from Ukraine.
KEY POINTS
- •US monitors major Ukrainian drone strike
- •Attack hit 41 Russian aircraft
- •Strike came before peace talks
The drone strikes occurred just hours before scheduled peace talks between Ukrainian and Russian delegations in Istanbul. President Zelenskyy announced that Defense Minister Rustem Umerov would lead the Ukrainian delegation at these direct negotiations. The timing of the attack relative to the peace talks represents a significant escalation in the ongoing conflict.
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