“An absolutely brilliant outcome. And an outcome produced by Ukraine independently,” Zelenskyy wrote on the Telegram messaging app, noting the operation had taken more than a year and a half to prepare.

Priorities included “a complete and unconditional ceasefire” and the return of prisoners and abducted children, he said on social media.

Russian news agencies said the Russian delegation was headed to Istanbul for the talks.

Ukraine claims $7 billion in damage to Russian aircraft

More than 40 aircraft had been hit at the Belaya base and a fire had broken out there, the source said, showing an unverified video in which several aircraft could be seen in flames and black smoke rising.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy hugs Vasyl Malyuk, the head of the country’s security service, during a meeting where Malyuk reported on the operation against Russian airbases. Credit: Ukrainian Presidential Press Service / EPA / AAP

AFP was not able to independently verify the claims or the video images.

He called on the population not to panic and posted an amateur video apparently showing a drone flying in the sky and a large cloud of grey smoke.

Ukraine’s air force said it was hit by 472 Russian drones and seven missiles overnight — a record since the beginning of the invasion.

The attack led Ukrainian ground forces commander Mykhailo Drapaty to announce his resignation, saying he felt “responsibility” for the soldiers’ deaths.

Blasts fell bridges

In Russia, officials said a blast brought down a road bridge in the Bryansk region bordering Ukraine, derailing a passenger train heading to Moscow and killing seven people.