Russia loses six warplanes in three days, Ukraine says

Ukraine’s military on Monday shot down two more Russian warplanes used to drop highly destructive guided aerial bombs on Kyiv’s troops, army chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said.

The destroyed planes were an Su-34 fighter-bomber and an Su-35 fighter, Syrskyi said on Telegram, not disclosing the area where they were downed. At the weekend, Ukraine said it shot down three Russian Su-34s and one Su-35 in eastern skies.

“In just three days, the enemy lost six aircraft,” Oleksandr Pavliuk, Ukraine’s new ground forces chief, said on Telegram on Monday.

Russia has not commented on the reported downing of warplanes and Reuters was not able to verify Ukraine’s version.

Moscow has aerial superiority over Kyiv, but Ukraine is using Western air defence systems to counter that.

Kyiv accuses Moscow of hitting civilian targets using Su-34s, in particular in southern Kherson region, as well as attacking Ukraine’s front lines. Russia has denied deliberately targeting civilians although many have been killed in its strikes.