Russia news agencies has reported that two military jets and a pair of helicopters were unexpectedly attacked and brought down close to the Ukraine border. A fifth aircraft reportedly encountered a malfunction within Russian airspace on Saturday.
According to an independent Russian news source, a Su-34 attack plane, a Su-35 jet, and two Mi-8 helicopters were reportedly intercepted and eliminated during a surprise attack in Russia's Bryansk region, which borders northeastern Ukraine.
The downed aircraft were believed to be part of a strategy to initiate an assault on Ukraine, but were thwarted before they could execute their plan. Early indications suggest that the jets were on a mission to carry out missile and bomb strikes on specific targets within Ukraine's Chernihiv region, while the helicopters were there to offer support and potentially recover the jet crews if needed.
An accident involving a Su-34 aircraft was reported by a Russian state news agency. An official from emergency services attributed an engine fire as the cause of one helicopter's crash near Klintsy, about 25 miles from the Ukrainian border.
Russian reports suggest that four military aircraft were unexpectedly attacked and taken down. A video shared on a Russian Telegram channel with significant pro-war followers showed a helicopter exploding mid-air and then plummeting in flames.
Another Russian media channel reported the downed aircraft. This report, yet unverified independently, attributed the Ukrainian Armed Forces for the downing of two helicopters and fighter-bombers.
News of successful air combat was accompanied by updates on the Ukrainian forces' progress near the heavily conflict-stricken town of Bakhmut, a focal point for some of the fiercest fights in the conflict. Oleksandr Syrskyi, Commander of the Ukrainian Ground Forces, confirmed on Saturday that their troops were advancing on several fronts, inflicting substantial damage to enemy equipment and personnel.
This update followed a statement made earlier in the week by Yevgeny Prigozhin, leader of the Wagner mercenary group, which has been attempting to seize Bakhmut for months. Prigozhin's forces were reportedly withdrawing due to poor leadership from Russian commanders, expressing frustration over 'criminal' directives from their superiors.
The UK Ministry of Defense validated the retreat of Russian troops from Bakhmut in a Saturday update. They mentioned that elements of Russia's 72nd Separate Motor Rifle Brigade likely retreated haphazardly from their southern positions in the Bakhmut operation, leading to Ukrainian forces reclaiming at least a kilometer of land.
The Russian brigade had previously been the subject of allegations concerning low morale and reduced combat effectiveness prior to their withdrawal. In other areas, Ukrainian forces reportedly destroyed two Russian self-propelled artillery systems in Kherson, as revealed by Ukraine's Special Operations Forces on Facebook.
There were also reports of an explosion in the Russian-controlled city of Luhansk, purportedly due to Ukraine's use of British Storm Shadow missiles. The British Defense Minister indicated that these missiles could be utilized within Ukrainian territory, suggesting reassurance that they would not be used for assaults in Russia.
Q&A Section:
Q: What happened to the Russian military aircraft near the Ukrainian border?
A: Two Russian fighter jets and two military helicopters were reportedly downed near the Ukrainian border. Another aircraft crashed within Russian territory. They were allegedly part of a mission to launch an attack on Ukraine but were intercepted and eliminated.
Q: What kind of aircraft were involved in the incident?
A: The aircraft involved were a Su-34 strike aircraft, a Su-35 fighter, and two Mi-8 helicopters.
Q: What were the circumstances surrounding the downing of these aircraft?
A: The aircraft were reportedly taken down almost simultaneously in a surprise assault in the Bryansk region of Russia, which borders northeast Ukraine. The jets were believed to have been tasked with deploying missile and bomb attacks on targets within Ukraine's Chernihiv region, with the helicopters assigned to provide support.
Q: How did the Ukrainian forces respond to the situation?
A: Ukrainian forces reportedly made advancements near the war-ravaged town of Bakhmut and claimed to have caused significant damage to the enemy's equipment and manpower. They also allegedly destroyed two Russian self-propelled artillery systems in Kherson.
Q: What was the reaction from the Russian troops?
A: According to reports, elements of Russia's 72nd Separate Motor Rifle Brigade likely pulled back chaotically from their positions on the southern flank of the Bakhmut operation. This retreat was reportedly due to low morale and limited combat efficacy.
Q: What role did British Storm Shadow missiles allegedly play in the conflict?
A: It was reported that an explosion in the Russian-controlled city of Luhansk was caused by Ukraine using British Storm Shadow missiles for the attack. The British Defense Minister stated that these missiles could be used within Ukrainian territory, implying assurance that they would not be used for attacks in Russia.
