Massive drone attack before Istanbul: Expert reveals Putin's cynical plan

On the dawn of May 15, Russia launched a large-scale drone strike on western Ukraine, just hours before the start of negotiations in Istanbul. TSN.ua investigated why the Kremlin targeted western Ukraine and what Putin was trying to signal with these actions.

According to the Air Force, the enemy attacked with 110 Shahed-type strike UAVs and decoy drones. 62 targets were shot down, and 29 dissapeared from radars. Eastern and central regions, as well as Ivano-Frankivsk, were affected. It was also intense in Ternopil, Khmelnytskyi regions and Volyn, where enemy drones attempting to break through to western Ukraine were downed.

Drone attack on Ukraine — part of "Putin's approaches" to negotiations

Military expert and retired Lieutenant General Ihor Romanenko, former Deputy Chief of the General Staff (2006–2010), believes the drone assault on western Ukraine is part of Putin’s plan tied to the Istanbul talks. In his view, these negotiations were designed entirely to suit Putin.

"Putin has tailored these talks to himself. Several details confirm this. First, the "face-to-face" format without witnesses allows him to manipulate and accuse Ukraine of intransigence while dragging out the talks. Second, Russia’s delegation is deliberately low-level, consisting of the same negotiators from 2022 — a symbolic hint. Third, the initial discussions will focus on documents prepared by Putin. And fourth, the events leading up to the talks, namely the overnight drone attack on western Ukraine, are also part of the Istanbul negotiation plan, carrying its own symbolism," Romanenko told TSN.ua.

Who Putin was sending a "greeting" to

The expert recalls that Putin repeatedly claims the Istanbul talks are not new but a continuation of those interrupted in April 2022, when Russia negotiated with Ukraine in an ultimative tone, with its troops near Kyiv.

"Now they also want to speak to us only in ultimatums, which is why they launched a large number of strike drones on the day of the talks to demonstrate their might. This airstrike can also be seen as a "greeting from Putin" to Ukraine and a response to the "coalition of the willing," which demanded harsh sanctions against Russia if hostilities did not cease by May 12," the expert noted.

Trump’s inaction aids Putin

The lieutenant general adds that by attacking western Ukraine with drones, Putin shows disdain for the demands of Ukraine’s allies and once again proves he has no interest in peace. The Istanbul talks are merely a "juicy" pretext for Putin to buy time to continue his aggressive war in Ukraine.

"Putin only understands the language of force and the immediate imposition of tough sanctions, which should be applied against Russia without delay. But this isn’t happening. Putin sees this, so he responds to our allies’ statements with drones and missiles. He also sees Trump’s weakness, whose inaction effectively undermines the "coalition of the willing" proposal, as no sanctions are imposed, and no pressure is put on Putin. This only enables him," Romanenko says.

Why Putin clings to negotiations

The lieutenant general explains why Russia targeted western Ukraine with the airstrike.

"If Russia had struck cities and decision-making centers in Ukraine, such as Kyiv, on May 15, it would have destroyed any prospects for further negotiations. Putin doesn’t want this because the "negotiation game" gives him extra time to wage his aggressive war. That’s why he puts on a "peacemaker" mask for Trump and hints at some kind of humanity. But there is no humanity or compassion in Putin. Russia carries out and will continue to carry out airstrikes deliberately. To avoid appearing overly brazen, the "Shaheds" were sent to western Ukraine, supposedly targeting military and critical economic infrastructure," Romanenko concludes.