Ukraine claimed responsibility for a surprise drone assault on four Russian airbases.
Russian and Ukrainian officials met in Turkey on Monday for a second round of direct peace talks, though expectations remained very low following a bloody weekend marked by intense attacks.
The meeting took place at the Ciragan Palace in Istanbul. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan opened the session, reports the Associated Press. The Ukrainian side was led by Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, while Vladimir Medinsky, an aide to President Vladimir Putin, led the Russian delegation, according to Russian state media.
Fighting on the ground has continued to escalate. On Sunday, Ukraine claimed responsibility for a surprise drone assault on four Russian airbases, including sites in the Arctic, Siberia, and the Far East.
Ukrainian security chief Vasyl Maliuk said the mission took over a year to plan and was “a major slap in the face for Russia’s military power.” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky praised it as a “brilliant operation.”
That same day, Russia launched