Unprecedented Drone Operations and Intensified Attacks

As peace talks convened in istanbul, Ukraine and Russia engaged in escalating military actions. Ukraine reportedly destroyed Russian strategic bombers in an undercover drone operation, dubbed “Spiderweb.” Concurrently, Russia launched a major air raid on Ukrainian cities and intensified attacks on the northern Sumy region.

• Ukraine’s “Spiderweb” Operation: Involved 117 drones smuggled into Russia, targeting Russian airfields.
• Russian Air Raids: Included 472 Shahed kamikaze drones,cruise missiles,and ballistic missiles. Ukraine claimed to have neutralized 385 aerial targets.

These operations highlight the ongoing intensity of the conflict,even amidst diplomatic efforts.

Details of the Drone Strikes

Ukraine’s “Spiderweb” operation targeted aircraft used by Russia to launch cruise missiles,including Tupolev-22M3,Tupolev-95,and Tupolev-160 bombers. Video footage purportedly showed Tu-95s exploding, indicating they were fueled and operational.

The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) claimed that 41 planes were hit, amounting to 34 percent of the strategic cruise missile carriers stationed at air bases. The SBU estimated the damage at $7 billion.

While Western analysts have not fully corroborated these claims, reports of fires and explosions surfaced at five Russian bases. Ukraine claimed to have struck the Olenya airbase in the Russian Arctic, nearly 1,240 miles from Ukraine, where all Tu-95 bombers were reportedly destroyed.

Other reported targets included:

• Belaya Airbase (irkutsk): reportedly destroyed three Tu-95 strategic bombers.
• Dyagilevo Airbase (Ryazan): Located close to Moscow.
• Ivanovo Airfield: Reportedly destroyed at least one A-50, a $500 million airborne radar system.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy hailed the operation as an absolutely brilliant result, an independent result of Ukraine, noting it had been in planning for a year, six months and nine days.

Russia’s Ministry of Defense acknowledged that in Murmansk and Irkutsk Regions, as a result of [First Person View] drones launched from an area in close proximity to airfields, several aircraft caught fire, but claimed similar attacks were repelled elsewhere. They also stated that some participants of the terrorist attacks were detained, though Zelenskyy countered that our people who prepared the operation were withdrawn from Russian territory on time.

Impact on Russian Aviation

The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) noted that Russia regularly deploys Tu-95 and Tu-22M3 bombers to launch cruise missiles against Ukraine. The downing of Russian A-50 aircraft has previously constrained Russian aviation activities over Ukraine.

Reports suggest that Russia no longer manufactures chassis for Tu-95s and Tu-22s, making replacements difficult. Furthermore, reliance on sanctioned Western components may hinder the repair of damaged aircraft.

Justin Bronk of the Royal United Services Institute told The New York Times that even if half of the claimed 41 aircraft damaged or destroyed is confirmed, it will have a important impact on the capacity of the Russian Long range Aviation force to keep up its regular large scale cruise missile salvoes against Ukrainian cities and infrastructure.

The ISW added that the operation will force Russian officials to consider redistributing Russia’s air defence systems to cover a much wider range of territory.

Kerch Bridge Damage

On june 3, Ukraine’s SBU reportedly damaged the Kerch Bridge, a vital russian supply line to Crimea, for the third time during the war. Video footage indicated an underwater explosion against one of the bridge’s stanchions, suggesting the use of an underwater unmanned vehicle. Moscow denied any significant damage.

Russian Advances in Sumy and eastern Ukraine

Amidst Ukraine’s successes, Russia has made persistent advances, particularly near the northern city of Sumy, approximately 20 miles from the russian border. Geolocated footage confirmed that Russian troops captured the villages of Konstyantynivka and Oleksiivka.

By Tuesday, Russian forces were close enough to launch rocket artillery into Sumy, reportedly resulting in casualties. Zelenskyy condemned the attack, stating, Rocket artillery against an ordinary city – the Russians struck right on the street, hitting ordinary residential buildings. Sleazebags.

Russian troops also appeared to have seized the settlements of Dyliivka and Zorya, north and west of Toretsk in eastern Ukraine. Advances were also noted towards lyman and Kurakhove.

These gains are part of a slow,ongoing advance,signaling Russia’s determination to control eastern Ukraine.

Peace Talks in Istanbul

Ukrainian and Russian negotiators met in Istanbul for a second round of peace talks. Russia presented a ceasefire memorandum demanding Ukraine cede all territory Russia has taken in Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhia, and Kherson, including areas not yet seized.

The memorandum also stipulated a limit on the size of Ukraine’s armed forces, a commitment not to join foreign military alliances, and a Ukrainian election within 100 days of signing the ceasefire agreement. These demands align with Putin’s statements from June 2024.

Ukrainian negotiators, reportedly surprised by the memorandum, departed shortly after the talks began. However, both sides agreed to an exchange of prisoners of war and bodies.

• Prisoner exchange: Agreement to exchange at least 1,000 prisoners of war.
• Body Exchange: Agreement to exchange 6,000 bodies a side.

A third round of talks is planned for the last 10 days of June, with Ukraine suggesting the involvement of Putin and Zelenskyy. Dmitry Medvedev, the deputy chairman of Russia’s Security Council, stated on his Telegram channel that The Istanbul talks are not for striking a compromise peace on someone else’s delusional terms but for ensuring our swift victory and the complete destruction of the neo-Nazi regime. He added,Our army is pushing forward and will continue to advance. Everything that needs to be blown up will be blown up, and those who must be eliminated will be.

Potential for More Sanctions Against Russia

U.S. President Donald Trump’s reluctance to impose new sanctions on Moscow is facing increasing opposition in Congress. Senators sidney Blumenthal and Lindsey graham plan to introduce legislation imposing 500 percent tariffs on countries importing oil, gas, and uranium from Russia.

Graham described the bill as the most draconian bill I’ve ever seen in my life in the Senate. The bill aims to target China and india, major importers of Russian energy, but could also affect European Union members.

Graham, after a trip to Kyiv and Paris, stated of Putin: what I learned on this trip was he’s preparing for more war.