Ukraine declared its Air Force shot down 3 Russian Su-34 fighter bombers on Friday in the middle of a rise in attacks in the southern Kherson area. Submit Photo by Oleg Belyakov/Wikimedia Commons
Dec. 23 (UPI)– Ukraine‘s military leaders declared Saturday they have actually shot down 3 Russian fighter jets on the southern front, marking a very first in the 22-month-old war in between the nations.
The trio of Su-34 fighter bombers were lowered over Kherson area on Friday, the Ukrainian military General Staff revealed in a social networks upgrade.
“Over the previous day, the Defense Forces Aviation has actually struck 12 locations of concentration, weapons and military devices of opponent. The air defense damaged 3 Su-34 fighter bomber,” they stated.
Ukrainian President Volodymir Zelensky acknowledged the downed airplane in his nighttime address on Friday.
“Grateful to our soldiers who ruined 3 Russian Sukhoi airplane at the same time in the South, in our Kherson area,” he stated“It’s the gain of our Air Force and the direct action of the Odessa Anti-Aircraft Missile Brigade. Thank you, guys! And might every Russian pilot be aware of our action to every Russian killer– none will go unpunished.”
Authorities Russian media did not point out the downing of the airplane on Saturday, however Russian blog writers composing on the Telegram messaging app acknowledged the loss, Sky News reportedincluding that experts informed Ukrainian tv U.S.-supplied Patriot rockets had actually most likely been utilized.
The claims came as Russian forces stepped up their attacks on the southern Kherson area over the weekend.
Ukrainian governmental workplace deputy chief Oleksiy Kuleba stated Saturday in a Facebook post there have actually been practically 500 attacks in the location with more than 2,500 shells fired because the start of this week.
“This is approximately one hundred attacks daily,” he composed, including that 2 individuals were eliminated and another 28 injured in the Kherson area.
“We are reinforcing sky defense in every area of Ukraine,” Kuleba stated. “Most Russian drones today [were shot down by] mobile fire groups. Their work works and assists to conserve rockets to ruin opponent winged rockets and air travel.”
Ukrainian demonstrators rally in Kyiv on February 12, 2022 to reveal unity amidst U.S. cautions of an impending Russian intrusion. Picture by Oleksandr Khomenko/UPI| License Photo