On Thursday, Ukraine’s military reported the downing of three additional Russian Su-34 fighter-bombers, marking the latest in a series of successful engagements against Moscow’s air force. Army chief Oleksandr Syrskyi conveyed the news via the Telegram messaging app, stating that following effective combat operations against an enemy aircraft on the night of February 29, two Su-34 fighter-bombers were destroyed in the Avdiivka and Mariupol sectors.
Russia, which initiated a full-scale invasion of Ukraine two years ago, refrained from an immediate response to Syrskyi’s statements. Reuters, at the time of reporting, was unable to independently verify the accuracy of his remarks. Notably, Avdiivka in eastern Ukraine succumbed to Russian forces earlier in the month after an extended battle, while Russia gained complete control of the southeastern port city of Mariupol in May 2022.
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In the preceding week, the Ukrainian military had asserted that Russia lost six warplanes within three days. The increased efficacy of Ukraine’s military against Russian aviation near the front lines is attributed to the acquisition of advanced Western air defense systems. Despite recent setbacks in the eastern theaters of conflict, Ukrainian forces have posed a heightened threat to Russian aerial assets.
Kyiv accuses Moscow of targeting civilian areas with Su-34s, particularly in the southern Kherson region, and of conducting attacks on Ukraine’s front lines. Russia has consistently denied allegations of deliberately targeting civilians, although casualties have occurred in the wake of its airstrikes. The situation remains dynamic, with ongoing developments in the complex and volatile conflict between Ukraine and Russia.
