Ukrainian military claims it shot down Russian spy plane; Ukraine marks second anniversary of war; Russian drones kill one in Odesa attack
Ukrainian forces shot down a Russian spy plane on Friday, the air force chief said. If confirmed, it would be a major win for the country as the war enters its third year. Gen Mykola Oleshchuk thanked Ukraine’s military intelligence for helping down the A-50 early warning and control aircraft. Ukrainian media carried footage purportedly showing a huge fire that erupted when the big warplane crashed in the Krasnodar region on the eastern coast of the Sea of Azov. Russia’s military did not comment, but emergency officials in the Krasnodar region said a plane crashed in the area, without identifying it. Several Russian military bloggers confirmed the plane’s loss. It would be the second such aircraft Ukraine shot down in just over a month.
Ukraine on Saturday marked two years since Russia’s invasion, entering a new year of war weakened by a lack of western aid and ammunition while Russia is emboldened by fresh gains. President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Friday that decisions on arms supplies had to be “the priority”. The anniversary of the invasion on 24 February 2022 will see visits by western leaders including the European Commission chief, Ursula von der Leyen, but the overall picture remains uncertain for Kyiv due to the US Congress blocking a vital $60bn (£47bn/€55bn) aid package and delays in promised European deliveries.
Russian drones attacked Ukraine’s Black Sea port of Odesa on Friday for the second night running, hitting a residential building, killing one person and injuring three, the regional governor said.
