Ukraine launched a large-scale drone offensive dubbed Operation Spider Web, targeting multiple Russian airfields ahead of scheduled peace talks in Istanbul. The attacks, reportedly planned over 18 months, focused exclusively on military targets and involved 117 drones.

According to Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU), the operation damaged at least 41 aircraft, including strategic bombers like the Tu-22 and Tu-95, and an A-50 radar aircraft. The SBU estimated the damage at $7 billion, describing the strike as a major blow to Russia’s air power.

President Volodymyr Zelensky called the action a “brilliant operation,” executed across three Russian time zones. He noted that 34% of Russia’s strategic cruise missile carriers were struck.

Russia confirmed attacks in the regions of Ivanovo, Ryazan, and Amur. It reported no casualties but acknowledged several aircraft caught fire in Murmansk and Irkutsk due to drones launched nearby. Russian officials also claimed to have detained individuals linked to the strikes.

Reports suggest the drones were smuggled into Russia in wooden cabins mounted on trucks, with remote-triggered openings for launch.

Despite the strike, peace talks between Russia and Ukraine are set to continue in Istanbul. Russia has condemned the timing, calling it a destabilizing act. On Sunday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio discussed the conflict ahead of the talks.