Russians react to Ukraine's unprecedented drone attack - as Kremlin's silence speaks volumes

Ukraine's drone onslaught connected Russia's long-range bombers was unprecedented, not that you'd cognize it from speechmaking the Russian papers. Nor from watching the quality bulletins here.

Monday's beforehand pages were dominated by photos of the wreckage of a roadworthy span collapsing connected to a rider train successful the Bryansk region, aft it was blown up precocious connected Saturday night.

Meanwhile, the flagship speech amusement connected authorities TV present connected Monday greeting didn't adjacent notation the attack. Instead, determination was conscionable a breathless build-up to the latest circular of peace talks successful Istanbul.

The deficiency of ocular sum of the drone onslaught is partially due to the fact that of the sensitivities astir publishing images of Russian subject infrastructure.

But I deliberation it's besides due to the fact that the Kremlin wants to play down the assault, which was a hugely embarrassing breach of Russia's defences.

So wherever the onslaught is mentioned successful the papers, it's done successful a mode to reenforce Moscow's communicative - that Ukraine is the aggressor retired to derail the bid process.

The Izvestia newspaper, for example, describes it arsenic a violent attack, and says it "calls into question Kyiv's readiness for de-escalation".

There's nary notation to the standard of the damage, and there's surely nary consciousness of alarm.

It's a akin vibe connected the streets of Moscow, wherever we conscionable Irina. She believes the reports of the onslaught are "exaggerated".

"These planes are precise aged and hardly anyone needs them," she says.

Another passer-by, called Vladimir, says helium trusts his namesake Mr Putin to respond erstwhile the clip is right.

"This indispensable beryllium done systematically, confidently, and without immoderate benignant of tense breakdowns, oregon immoderate shows of soul," helium says.

There is plentifulness of psyche connected amusement connected societal media, though, wherever Russia's influential subject bloggers are calling for a accelerated retaliation.

One fashionable channel, called Dva Mayora oregon "Two Majors", adjacent said it was "a crushed to motorboat atomic strikes connected Ukraine".

Others are directing their choler astatine Russia's subject command, accusing the enactment of complacency for storing the planes retired successful the open.

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It each served to overshadow the latest circular of bid talks successful Istanbul, wherever the lone factual result was different captive speech and the instrumentality of 6,000 dormant soldiers from each side.

And if anything, the outlook for bid present is adjacent much bleak than it was earlier the talks began. That's due to the fact that Russia has present presented its blueprint for a settlement, and it seemingly offers nary motion of compromise astatine all.

According to Russian media reports, the papers is simply a database of Moscow's maximalist demands, including neutrality for Ukraine, limits to its army, surrender of territory and the lifting of sanctions. Only then, Russia says, would it hold to extremity the war.

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The Kremlin itself inactive hasn't commented connected the drone onslaught - a soundlessness that speaks volumes. Can you ideate Downing Street doing the aforesaid if thing akin happened successful the UK?

There volition undoubtedly beryllium repercussions astatine immoderate point, some externally and internally. So, contempt the speech being of bid astatine the talks successful Turkey, the temper is inactive precise overmuch 1 of war.