Ukraine said Sunday it destroyed Russian bombers worth billions of dollars as far away as Siberia, in its longest-range assault of the war as it geared up for talks on prospects for a ceasefire.

In a spectacular claim, Ukraine said it damaged $7 billion worth of Russian aircraft parked at four airbases thousands of kilometres (miles) away, with unverified video footage showing aircraft engulfed in flames and black smoke.

A source in the Ukrainian security services (SBU) said the strikes hit 41 planes that were used to "bomb Ukrainian villages".

The drones were concealed in the ceilings of transportation containers which were opened up to release them for the assault, the source added.

- Ceasefire talks -

The long-planned operation came at a delicate moment three years into Russia's in

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