Since last sitting down with Ukraine to talk peace, Russia has launched four of its five largest drone attacks against the country, killed more than 340 of its civilians and continued to peddle its false narrative about the unprovoked war it has been waging for more than a decade.

A Ukrainian security official said on Sunday that a drone strike carried out by Ukraine had destroyed over 40 Russian aircraft - including nuclear-capable Tu-95

A claim that President Vladimir Putin 's helicopter faced a combat incident during his visit to the Kursk region was concocted by Russia's authorities, it has been reported. Russia's Defense Ministry said that during Putin's trip to the border region where Kyiv previously staged an incursion, his aircraft came under fire from Ukrainian drones.

Ukraine is ready to resume direct peace talks with Russia in Istanbul on Monday, a top adviser to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said, following days of uncertainty over whether Kyiv would attend a further meeting proposed by Moscow.

Hours later came a report of another bridge collapse, also in western Russia, involving a freight train. A bridge overpass in western Russia collapsed late Saturday, derailing a passenger train underneath and killing at least seven people and injuring dozens, officials and the state news media said.

The operation saw drones transported in containers carried by trucks deep into Russian territory. Russia’s Defense Ministry confirmed the attacks on five airfields.

The Kremlin said on Wednesday that Russia would defend its ships using the Baltic Sea with all means available and that a failed Estonian attempt to seize a tanker there recently showed that Moscow could respond with tough action if it had to.

Claims of Russian President Vladimir Putin's helicopter being "at the epicenter" of a Ukrainian drone attack in Kursk Oblast were reportedly fabricated by the Kremlin, the Moscow Times reported on May 30,