Ukraine military claims Russian Sukhoi Su-34 fighter jet shot down near Volnovakha

Ukraine's military announced on Friday claimed that they had shot down a Russian Sukhoi Su-34 fighter jet near the city of Volnovakha in eastern Ukraine. Taking to Facebook, the Ukrainian General Staff said that the pilots of the plane were involved in carrying out severe bombings on civilians and infrastructures of the city. "A Russian SU-34 fighter-bomber has just been shot down by a Joint forces air defence unit near the town of VOLNOVAKHA. The pilots of this plane carried out a barbaric bombardment of the civilian population and infrastructure of the city," said the top military official.

It is worth mentioning Sukhoi-34 is an advanced twin-engine, twin-seat, all-weather supersonic medium-range fighter-bomber/strike aircraft which was first inducted into the Russian Air Force in 2014. Though Russia denied using Su-34 in the war against Ukraine, it was first seen on March 28 near the border of Kharkiv. Subsequently, several media outlets captured the Russian Air Force of using the advanced fighter jet in the war. Earlier on Thursday, the Ukrainian military claimed to have shot down a Su-30 fighter over Irpin near Kyiv.

Notably, Russia initiated a full-fledged war against Ukraine nearly two days after Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree recognizing the independence of breakaway regions Donetsk and Luhansk. Putin's action came despite West's repetitive warning and speculations about his ill-intention to invade Ukraine. Until then, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had called his Russian counterpart to meet him, seeking a resolution to avert the war. However, on February 24, the Russian troops started a military operation against Ukraine, resulting in the heavy shelling and killing of more than 2,000 Ukrainian civilians.

US sets up hotline with Russia to prevent any ‘miscalculation’ 

According to Ukraine’s emergency service, the ongoing conflict destroyed hundreds of structures including transport facilities, hospitals, kindergartens and homes. Amid the continuous Russian aggression against Ukraine, the United States has now initiated a fresh move to avert further "escalation" or "miscalculation". According to a report by The Guardian, the US has recently established a hotline with Russia’s ministry of defence with an aim to prevent any miscalculation by Moscow. The well-known “hotline” communication will enable the diplomats and other defence officials to share their critical views or demands related to the ongoing war. 

With inputs from ANI

Image: ANI