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| Russia Claims Destroyed Eight Ukrainian Fighter Jets |
Moscow - Two separate strikes by Russian forces have destroyed or disabled eight Ukrainian Air Force planes. This is the claim of the Russian Ministry of Defense.
Military spokesman Lieutenant General Igor Konashenkov said "In a surprise attack, Russian warplanes launched precision munitions at a Ukrainian airfield near the city of Mirgorod in the central Poltava Region. Two warplanes, Su-27 and Su-24, were destroyed while two Su Another -27 and Su-24 were badly damaged in the attack.
The Ukrainian military reported a Russian attack on "military infrastructure" in the city early Wednesday, but did not disclose the damage it caused. According to the Russian side, up to 30 "nationalists" were killed. The second reported precision strike hit the Dnepr military air base in the Dnepropetrovsk Region, destroying three unspecified military aircraft, according to Konashenkov.
As of Thursday, the ministry claimed to have destroyed a total of 273 Ukrainian military aircraft since launching the operation in February. The Russian official also confirmed the attack on the train station in the Ukrainian city of Chaplino, but refuted Kiev's claims about the nature of the target.
Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky said late Wednesday that the attack had killed 22 civilians, including an 11-year-old child. His office updated the death toll on Thursday to 25. Konashenkov said an Iskander missile hit a train carrying Ukrainian troops and weapons eastward. He claimed that the attack killed more than 200 Ukrainian soldiers and destroyed 10 military vehicles.