Ukrainian forces announced that they shot down three Russian Su-34 multi-role bomber and fighter aircraft in the south of the country.
Announcement
Ukrainian Air Force Commander Mykola Oleshchuk said the Su-34s were shot down on Friday afternoon.
He also referred in his announcement to a message bearing the phrase “Die, bitches” that was found on one of the downed Russian drones.
“Great idea! This is our response,” he added on Telegram.
In his Friday evening speech, President Volodymyr Zelensky thanked the soldiers who shot down Russian fighters in the Kherson region.
“It is a gain for our Air Force and the direct action of the Odessa Air Missile Defense Battalion. Thank you, guys,” he said.
He added, “I hope that every Russian pilot will be well aware of our response to every Russian killer… No one will escape punishment.”
The Kremlin did not comment on the Ukrainian allegations, but a Russian war blogger named “Fighter Bomber” stated that there were losses likely due to the Patriot air defense missile system.
Another war blogger on his “Military Informant” channel on Telegram also reported “casualties among Su-34 bombers” that were said to have been used to drop glide bombs on a Ukrainian bridge on the Russian-controlled eastern bank of the Dnipro River.
Zelensky also said that he spoke with Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte about the delivery of F-16 aircraft to Ukraine, and they also discussed agreeing to a new support package from the European Union worth 50 billion euros for Ukraine.
He added, “The Netherlands is preparing to send the first F-16 fighter aircraft to Ukraine. From the political decisions related to the provision of aircraft, we have now moved to training pilots and engineers, and now we are implementing the technical part (…) the actual delivery of the aircraft.”
The Netherlands announced on Friday that it is preparing to deliver 18 American-made F-16 fighter planes that it had pledged to give to Ukraine, at a time when Kiev is under pressure on all fronts.
Denmark and the Netherlands announced in August that, with US approval, they would provide up to 61 aircraft once training for Ukrainian pilots was completed.
Additional sources • AFP
#Ukraine #announces #downing #Russian #Su34 #aircraft
2023-12-23 06:43:55
