The Russian defence ministry on Sunday confirmed that Ukrainian drone strikes targeted five military airbases across the country, damaging an unspecified number of aircraft. In an official statement, the ministry accused Kyiv of launching a “terror attack using FPV drones” against airfields located in the Murmansk, Irkutsk, Ivanovo, Ryazan, and Amur regions. It said that drone attacks on airbases in Ivanovo, Ryazan, and Amur were successfully repelled. For the first time, Russian authorities acknowledged that some of the drones were launched from areas close to the targeted airfields. According to the ministry, trailer trucks stationed near the Olenogorsk airfield in Murmansk and the Sredny airfield in Irkutsk were used to deploy the drones. “Due to drone launches from locations in close proximity to the Murmansk and Irkutsk airfields, several aircraft caught fire. The fires were quickly extinguished,” the ministry said. Ukraine, meanwhile, claimed responsibility for the attacks, asserting that approximately 40 Russian military aircraft were destroyed, including long-range strategic bombers such as the nuclear-capable Tu-95 and Tu-22. Military observers suggest that the strikes may be aimed at increasing pressure on Moscow ahead of the upcoming round of peace talks scheduled for Monday in Istanbul. A Russian delegation, headed by Kremlin aide Vladimir Medynsky, has already arrived in Turkey. Despite diplomatic efforts, analysts remain cautious about the potential for any immediate breakthrough, with many expressing doubts that a ceasefire is on the horizon.