Ukraine strikes Russian air base in Crimea amid US diplomatic talks

Ukrainian armed forces carried out a long‑range strike on the Gvardéiskoye airfield, a key Russian tactical and naval aviation base in occupied Crimea. The operation also hit major bridges over the Hruzkyi Yalanchyk and Kalmius rivers in Donetsk province and destroyed three ammunition depots in Donetsk, Luhansk and Kherson.

Russian officials in Crimea said the raids killed one civilian and injured two others. Russia’s air‑defence systems shot down 71 Ukrainian drones across Belgorod, Bryansk, Rostov, the Black Sea region and Crimea. In response, Ukraine's Air Force reported downing 112 Russian attack drones and three Kh‑59/69 guided missiles, while some Russian projectiles struck Ukrainian territory.

The intensified fighting coincided with separate telephone conversations between the presidents of the United States, Russia and Ukraine, as President Donald Trump was engaged in diplomatic outreach aimed at de‑escalating the four‑year war.