Ukraine downs second Russian spy plane in weeks

---

FE Team | Published: February 24, 2024 21:03:53

---

KYIV, Feb 24 (BBC/AFP): Ukraine says it has downed a Russian A-50 military spy plane - the second such claim in just over a month. The plane was hit between the Russian cities of Rostov-on-Don and Krasnodar, Ukrainian military sources said, over 200km (124 miles) from the front line.
Emergency services reportedly found plane fragments in Kanevskoy district and put out a raging fire. Russia has not commented on the claim. Saturday marks two years since Russia launched a full-scale invasion.
The head of Ukraine's Air Force Mykola Oleshchuk thanked his service and military intelligence for helping to bring down the plane - a long-range radar detection aircraft - on Friday and noted the incident coincided with a key Russian military holiday.
"Congratulations to the occupiers on the Defender of the Fatherland Day," he said on Telegram. Video shared online shows the moment the plane appears to be shot down in the air, as well as huge flames and thick, dark smoke seemingly rising after the crash.
Krasnodar's emergency authorities later said an aircraft had crashed near the Trudovaya Armenia village, Kanevskoy district, and a fire was later extinguished. It provided no further details.
Meanwhile, at least one Russian military-aligned Telegram channel suggested the plane may have come down as a result of friendly fire. Fighterbomber wrote: "At the moment it is unknown who shot it down."
Zelensky vows triumph over
Russia on war anniversary
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky promised victory against Russia on the second anniversary of the invasion on Saturday as his troops fight on despite a lack of Western aid and recent Russian gains.
"We will win," he said at a ceremony at Kyiv's Gostomel airport, which was targeted by Russia in the first days of the all-out assault in 2022.
He spoke alongside the Canadian, Italian and Belgian prime ministers and EU Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen who came to Kyiv to mark the date.
When Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a "special military operation" at dawn on February 24, 2022, many expected victory within days, but Ukraine fought back, forcing Russian troops into humiliating retreats.
Since then, however, Ukraine has suffered setbacks with the failure of its 2023 counteroffensive.
The Russian army has built up a position of strength by boosting its defence industry, while Ukraine's troops are short of manpower and running low on Western-supplied ammunition for artillery and air defences.
NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg urged Ukraine and its allies not to "lose heart" and von der Leyen praised Ukraine's "extraordinary resistance" as she arrived in the Ukrainian capital.
Ukraine's military chief Oleksandr Syrsky said he was confident of victory "because light always conquers darkness".
But the overall picture remains bleak for Ukraine due to the US Congress blocking a vital $60 billion aid package, on top of delays in promised European deliveries.
Russia is attacking hard in the east after capturing the heavily fortified town of Avdiivka on February 17.
In the east Ukraine city of Pokrovsk-a gathering point for civilians fleeing fighting-troops sent a clear message to the foreign leaders gathered in Kyiv.
"Give us artillery, drones, counter-battery, shells," said a 31-year-old Ukrainian soldier, who identified himself as Woodie.
"Our infantry, armed with assault rifles and grenades, were facing artillery, aircraft, and tanks," added a 39-year-old serviceman from Kyiv, who has been fighting for two years.
Russia has kept up its barrage of devastating drone and missile attacks on Ukraine's cities.
In the latest strikes, Ukrainian authorities said three civilians were killed in Dnipro and Odesa in the night between Friday and Saturday.
In Kyiv, the mood was grim. "For women of Ukraine, this is our heartache-for our husbands, for our children, for our fathers," said nutritionist Olga Byrko in Kyiv.
"I would really like this to end as quickly as possible."