Russian and Ukrainian negotiators convened for critical peace talks on Sunday (June 1) as Kyiv unleashed 117 drones targeting strategic bomber bases deep inside Russia, including Siberia's first wartime attack, while rail bridge explosions near Ukraine's border killed seven civilians and wounded over 70.
The negotiations, facilitated by Turkey's presidency, follow May's landmark prisoner-exchange agreement and proceed despite escalating violence. Russia's Defense Ministry confirmed Ukrainian drones struck military airports across five regions (Irkutsk, Murmansk, Ryazan, Amur, Ivanovo), damaging aircraft but causing no casualties. Simultaneously, coordinated "terrorist acts" – as labeled by Moscow – destroyed bridges in Bryansk and Kursk oblasts, disrupting critical supply routes.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky claimed responsibility for the drone operation, calling it a necessary "special military action" against Russian bomber capabilities. The assaults preceded a phone discussion between Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and U.S. Secretary Marco Rubio, who conveyed condolences for civilian casualties while reinforcing President Donald Trump's push for sustained dialogue.
With both sides accusing the other of sabotaging the Istanbul talks, the negotiations unfold against Ukraine's largest single-wave drone offensive and Russia's deadliest border attacks since February. Moscow vowed to punish perpetrators of the rail bombings as emergency crews worked to restore transport links.
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