Vladimir Putin faced another significant setback in his military campaign as his £40 million Su-34 bomber was reportedly downed in an ambush in eastern Ukraine.
The Soviet aircraft, confirmed by Ukrainian military spokesperson Andrii Kovalyov, was shot down over the Luhansk region, with social media footage depicting flames and smoke rising from the alleged bomber.
The fate of the Russian crew remains uncertain, and with Russian forces encountering a stalemate in Ukraine, there are increasing reports of downed aircraft.
Ukrainian government adviser Anton Gerashchenko claimed that Moscow has lost a total of 332 aircraft since the beginning of the full-scale invasion.
The Kremlin has witnessed losses in Su-34 fighter bombers through aerial strikes and attacks on airfields.
Despite Ukrainian armed forces’ claims, the Russian war Telegram channel FighterBomber disputed the reported downing.
The precision of Ukraine’s targeting of such aircraft has been noteworthy, demonstrated by previous instances, including the downing of four Sukhois in two weeks and a 16-year-old Russian boy sentenced for setting fire to a bomber.
Simultaneously, Russian air defense systems faced a drone barrage over occupied Crimea, with Ukraine launching 21 drones, most of which were intercepted.
The attacks extended to various regions, including Sevastopol, Crimea’s largest city, where no damage was reported, and other areas such as Belgorod, Bryansk, Kaluga, and Tula, where Ukrainian-launched drones were reportedly downed.
