Ukraine said Sunday it launched a “large-scale” attack to destroy Russian bombers as it geared up for talks in Istanbul with Moscow counterparts to explore prospects of a ceasefire.
The spectacular claim that Ukraine damaged $2 billion worth of Russian aircraft parked at airbases thousands of kilometres (miles) away came as Kyiv announced a Russian military strike killed at least 12 soldiers at an army training site.
Russia also said two bridges that collapsed in regions bordering Ukraine were brought down by explosions. Officials were treating them as “acts of terrorism” but had not immediately accused Ukraine.
The developments followed Russian ground advances in recent days in Ukraine’s border Sumy region, and both sides unleashing punishing aerial attack on the other.
President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Sunday that he was sending a Ukrainian delegation to Istanbul led by his Defence Minister Rustem Umerov for the talks on Monday with Russian officials.
Turkey is hosting the meeting, which was spurred by US President Donald Trump’s push for a quick deal to end the three-year war.
Zelensky, who previously voiced scepticism about the seriousness of the Russian side in proposing Monday’s meeting, said he had defined the Ukrainian delegation’s position going into it.
Priorities included “a complete and unconditional ceasefire” and the return of prisoners and abducted children, he said on social media.
Russia has said it has formulated its own peace terms, but refused to divulge them in advance. Russian President Vladimir Putin ruled out a Turkish proposal for the meeting to be held at leaders’ level.
Russian news agencies said the Russian delegation was headed to Istanbul on Sunday for the talks.