Ukrainian authorities have claimed responsibility for shooting down a Russian Tu-22M3 strategic bomber. The incident occurred as Moscow continued missile strikes across Ukrainian cities, resulting in eight fatalities, including two children, and 28 injuries in the Dnipro region.
The Ukrainian air force stated that they, along with military intelligence, utilized anti-aircraft missiles to down the bomber, which has been employed by Russia to launch cruise missiles from its own airspace into Ukraine. The Russian Ministry of Defense, however, attributed the crash to a technical malfunction, occurring in a deserted area of the southern Stavropol region, several hundred kilometers from the Ukrainian border. They confirmed the rescue of three crew members, with one fatality and ongoing searches for a fourth crew member.
One down, the rest to go.
The first downed Russian strategic bomber Tu-22m3.@KpsZSU@DI_Ukraine pic.twitter.com/6keqNZeyAt— Ukraine Territorial Defense Forces (@TDF_UA) April 19, 2024
Simultaneously, Russian missile strikes targeted urban and infrastructure sites in the central Dnipro region of Ukraine. The Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, reiterated calls for more advanced Western air defense systems, drawing parallels with recent successful defenses seen in the Middle East, underlining the need for such capabilities to protect European skies as well.
⚡️Video from the crash site of the Tu-22M3 in the 🇷🇺Stavropol Territory
The commander of the plane died due to the lack of an opportunity to eject pic.twitter.com/eV2Yk60nab
— 🇺🇦Ukrainian Front (@front_ukrainian) April 19, 2024
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