Ukraine said the Russian Tu-22M3 strategic bomber it destroyed this Friday attacked two cities in its central eastern region, where deadly night attacks have been reported.
“This is the plane that bombed Dnepropetrovsk and Krivoy Rog,” Ukrainian Air Force spokesman Ilya Yevlakh told the French news agency AFP.
“We have avenged our cities and our civilians,” the spokesman added.
Ukrainian authorities said Friday’s Russian attacks in the region killed nine people and injured 32, but acknowledged there could be casualties in the rubble of buildings.
As a result of the attacks, two dozen buildings, a service station and almost fifty cars were damaged, said the head of the local military administration, Sergei Lisak, as quoted by the Ukrainian news agency Ukrinform.
Moscow admitted that this Friday it lost a Tu-22M3 bomber that crashed in the Stavropol region in southern Russia.
One of the four crew members died, two were found alive, and rescue teams are looking for the second, the regional governor said.
The Russian Defense Ministry said the bomber was not carrying missiles and crashed in a deserted area, but did not disclose the cause of the crash.
The Ukrainian Air Force said it shot down a Tu-22M3 for the first time since the start of the war more than two years ago.
Tu-22M3 is a supersonic bomber with a variable geometry wing, capable of carrying nuclear weapons.
These bombers were used by Russia to attack Ukraine with missiles from Russian airspace, far from the range of Ukrainian air defenses.
Russian forces have increased the intensity of attacks in recent weeks, especially against Ukrainian energy infrastructure.
Ukrainian authorities fear a new Russian offensive after a counteroffensive launched by Kiev in the summer produced modest results.
Ukraine has repeatedly called on Western allies to supply more weapons.
He also criticized the hesitation of some governments and the delay in the supply of arms and ammunition.
The ongoing war was sparked by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022.
The number of civilian and military casualties is unknown, but several sources warn it will be high.
Author: Lusa
Source: CM Jornal
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