Russia Says Strikes Destroy Several Ukrainian Fighter Jets

Russia’s Defense Ministry said Tuesday its missile strike on an airfield in central Ukraine has destroyed and damaged seven Ukrainian fighter jets.

“As a result of the Russian army’s strike, five active Su-27 multi-purpose fighters were destroyed and two under repair were damaged,” the military said on Telegram.

Undated aerial footage accompanying its short statement showed an explosion and smoke rising from an airfield. 

Russia’s Defense Ministry said it had struck the Myrhorod airfield in Ukraine’s Poltava region.

Ukraine’s former Air Force speaker Yuriy Ihnat confirmed the strike on Myrhorod, but accused the Russian military of exaggerating the extent of the damage.

“There are losses, but not at all like the enemy claims because they always do this since the beginning of the invasion,” Ihnat wrote on Facebook shortly after midnight.

Ihnat told Reuters that Russian reconnaissance drones helped conduct the strike on Myrhorod and present a “very serious threat.”

“It flies and reports everything in real-time, and then Iskander arrives in a couple of minutes. It is obvious,” he was quoted as saying.

Russia announced its strike on a Ukrainian airfield as Kyiv readies to receive the initial batches of U.S.-made F-16 jets from Europe. Moscow has threatened to destroy the Western warplanes.