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Russia, Ukraine trade drone, missile attacks ahead of negotiations

Iran Press TV

Monday, 02 June 2025 11:26 AM

A day before Russia and Ukraine meet for a new round of direct talks in Istanbul, Ukraine and Russia exchange heavy fire with a Ukrainian drone attack reportedly destroying more than 40 Russian planes, and Moscow pounding Ukraine with drones, and missiles.

Russia's Ministry of Defense said on Monday its air defense units had "intercepted and destroyed" 162 Ukrainian drones on Sunday.

The majority of drones were downed over regions bordering Ukraine, with 57 intercepted over the Kursk region and 31 over the Belgorod region, the ministry said.

The barrage also came a day after Ukraine claimed it had carried out one of its most brazen attacks on Russian soil and hit dozens of strategic bombers parked at airbases deep inside Russia, thousands of kilometers behind the front line.

Russia also launched the largest number of drones on Sunday -- 472 -- in Ukraine since February 2022 when its special operation began. Russian forces also launched seven missiles alongside the barrage of drones.

Russia's Ministry of Defense said that it had taken control of the village of Oleksiivka in Ukraine's northern Sumy region.

Additionally, Ukraine's army reported that at least 12 Ukrainian service members were killed and more than dozens of others injured on Sunday.

The attacks come as delegations from Russia and Ukraine are set to meet in Turkey on Monday for their second round of direct peace talks in just over two weeks.

Ukraine's delegation led by Defense Minister Rustem Umerov has arrived in Istanbul for the meeting, according to Heorhii Tykhyi, the spokesperson for Ukraine's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The Russian delegation headed by Vladimir Medinsky, an aide to Russian leader Vladimir Putin, arrived on Sunday evening, Russian state media reported.

Turkish officials have said the meeting will be presided over by Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan while officials from the Turkish intelligence agency will be present as well.

Ukrainian officials claim they have shared a memorandum for a ceasefire agreement with Russia and have called on Russia to do the same.

Russian officials in response have said that they will share their memorandum with Ukraine on Monday during the ceasefire talks.