Ukraine claimed on Thursday that it had destroyed a record number of Russian planes in February, including 10 Su-34, two Su-35 fighter jets, and an A-50 aircraft. The Ukrainian defense ministry stated that this was the greatest success in downing Russian jets since October 2022. Russian authorities have not commented, so the claims are unverified. Ground forces commander Oleksandr Pavliuk said three Su-34s were downed while launching missiles at Ukrainian positions in the east.
Ukraine had previously shot down an A-50 plane in January, and Russian military bloggers have also mentioned the destruction of this aircraft. The British defense ministry corroborated some of the claims, mentioning two A-50s downed. Two years into the conflict, Ukraine’s priority is to regain control of its skies, and it is expecting the delivery of F-16 fighter jets from Western allies. Russian bloggers often publish exclusive information that contradicts official sources and state media.
