STORY: President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Sunday (June 1) praised the "brilliant" Ukrainian drone attack launched on Russian air bases, saying it inflicted tangible losses on Moscow.

"Brilliant operation was conducted on the enemy's territory, against military targets only," Zelenskiy said in his night video address, noting that the operation had taken more than a year and half to prepare.

The President noted that 117 drones had been used to attack the Russian bases. "Russia has had very tangible losses, and justifiably so," he said.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

VIDEO SHOWS: UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT VOLODYMYR ZELENSKIY SPEAKING ABOUT UKRAINIAN OPERATION AGAINST RUSSIAN AIRFIELDS / STILL PHOTOGRAPHS OF ZELENSKIY HOLDING MEETING WITH VASYL MALIUK, CHIEF OF SECURITY SERVICE OF UKRAINE

RESENDING WITH COMPLETE SCRIPT

SHOWS: KYIV, UKRAINE (JUNE 1, 2025) (UKRAINIAN PRESIDENTIAL PRESS SERVICE - Access all)

1. (SOUNDBITE) (Ukrainian) UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT, VOLODYMYR ZELENSKIY, SAYING:

"Greetings, dear Ukrainian men and women! I just heard the report by chief of Security Service of Ukraine Vasyl Maliuk. Brilliant operation was conducted on the enemy's territory, against military targets only, against equipment that was used to deliver strikes at Ukraine. Russia has had very tangible losses, and justifiably so as they deserved it."

2. (MUTE) VARIOUS OF STILL PHOTOGRAPHS OF ZELENSKIY HOLDING MEETING WITH MALIUK

3. (SOUNDBITE) (Ukrainian) UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT, VOLODYMYR ZELENSKIY, SAYING:

"The operation was prepared for more than a year and a half. Planning, all the details were planned ideally. I can say with confidence that it is an absolutely unique operation. The most interesting part and now I can talk about it publicly: the office of our operation on the Russian territory was based close to FSB department, in one of its regions."

4. WHITE FLASH

5. (SOUNDBITE) (Ukrainian) UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT, VOLODYMYR ZELENSKIY, SAYING:

"117 drones were used in the operation and respective number of drone pilots were involved. 34 percent of strategic carriers of cruise missiles on their home airfields were hit. Our people worked in different Russian regions, in three time zones. Our people, on the eve of the operation, were extracted from the Russian territory. Now they are in safety."

6. WHITE FLASH

7. (SOUNDBITE) (Ukrainian) UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT, VOLODYMYR ZELENSKIY, SAYING:

"Russia did not hand over their memorandum to anyone. We do not have it, Turkish side does not have it either and the U.S. side does not have the Russian document. However, we will try to reach at least some progress on the way to peace."