Ukraine says it has shot down a Russian strategic bomber 185 miles from its border on Friday (April 19) after the warplane took part in an airstrike that killed at least eight people in the central Dnipropetrovsk region.

Stavropol

Russian forces have invaded Ukraine from land, air and sea with strikes causing widespread damage. Global leaders have condemned the move and imposed sanctions.

Ukraine Invasion

Ukraine has reported the downing of a Russian strategic bomber at a distance of 185 miles from its border, following an airstrike in the central Dnipropetrovsk region that resulted in at least eight fatalities. The aircraft, identified as partaking in the offensive, was engaged after conducting operations that led to casualties, including two children, in the eastern city of Dnipro and its surrounding areas. This retaliation marks a significant episode in the ongoing conflict, highlighting the intense hostilities between the two nations.

Subsequent to the strike on Dnipro, images disseminated on Telegram allegedly show the remains of the downed bomber located in Russia's southern Stavropol region, far from Ukraine-controlled sectors. This incident is noted as the first occasion Ukraine has successfully targeted a bomber within Russian territory throughout the duration of the war, entering its third year. Although the Russian Defense Ministry acknowledged the aircraft's crash, officials attributed the cause to a technical failure rather than hostile action.

In the aftermath of this escalation, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has reiterated calls for enhanced air defense capabilities to counter the reduction in Western military support. During his frequent visits to the front lines near Donetsk, Zelensky's advocacy for increased aid reflects the ongoing struggle against Russian advances. Concurrently, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmitry Kuleba engaged with G7 ministers in Italy, emphasizing the urgency for Western assistance to prevent the conflict from expanding further in Europe. Amidst the ongoing warfare, Russia has intensified its bombardment of Ukrainian infrastructure, maintaining that such targets are within the bounds of legitimate military objectives, while denying any intention of civilian harm.



Ukraine downs Russian strategic bomber after strike

This is the aftermath of a major Russian strike on the Ukrainian city of Dnipro. At least eight people, including two children, were killed early on Friday, when missiles rained down over the eastern city and the surrounding central Dnipropetrovsk region. In retaliation, Kiev says it shot down a Russian strategic bomber it says took part in the long-range strike. These photographs from Telegram appear to show the wrecked bomber in Russia's southern Stavropol region, hundreds of miles from Ukrainian-controlled territory. This is the first time during the two-year-long war that Ukraine has downed a bomber within Russia's borders. While the Russian Defence Ministry confirmed the crash, it said it was due to a technical malfunction. In light of the attack, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called once again for urgent air defences, as the country's supplies dwindled due to a slowdown in Western military aid. The president has himself been visiting troops and inspecting fortifications on the front line near Donetsk. While his foreign minister, Dmitry Kuleba, has been in Italy meeting with the G7 ministers. The West has the capacity to be efficient in all crises. And this must be clear. It has the capacity, military capacity, financial capacity, but it has to provide Ukraine with all necessary resources as soon as possible to save Europe from a larger war. And this was the main topic of my conversations and we identified specific steps which Western partners will make to help Ukraine under these circumstances. Twenty-five months into Moscow's full-scale invasion and Ukraine is on the back foot. In recent weeks, Russia has stepped up its long-range aerial assaults on Ukraine's energy system and other targets. Moscow has been ratcheting up the pressure on Kiev, as Russian forces have been slowly advancing in the east. Russia denies targeting civilians during its airstrikes and says the energy system is a legitimate target.

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Ukraine Invasion