Kyiv reportedly destructs two Russian military aircraft

The commander of the Ukrainian Air Force on Monday indirectly acknowledged the reported destruction and damage of Russian military aircraft, as initially disclosed by the Ukrainian media outlets and Russian Telegram channels.

It was reported on Sunday that Ukrainian Defence Forces had successfully shot down a Russian А-50 radar aircraft and inflicted damage on an Ил-22 bomber over the Sea of Azov. The А-50 aircraft plays a crucial role in Russia’s long-range target monitoring and data transmission to fighter jets.

In a recent telegram message on Monday, Ukrainian Air Force Commander Mykola Oleshchuk cryptically wrote, “This is for you Dnipro… so far without details.” Notably, January 14 marked one year since the Russian missile attack on a multi-story building in Dnipro, resulting in the tragic loss of 46 lives.

An informed source cited by Ukrainska Pravda affirms the accuracy of reports concerning the destruction of the A-50 and claims a 98 percent accuracy rate over the damage inflicted on the Ил-22 bomber. 

Additionally, there is speculation circulating on social media suggesting that the planes may have been mistakenly targeted by Russian Air Defence Forces. As of now, neither Ukraine nor Russia has issued official statements regarding these incidents.