Russia Destroys 5 Ukrainian SU-27 Fighter Jets In Myrhorod

Russian Military/ILLUSTRATION/Alexander Reka/TASS

JAKARTA - The Russian Ministry of Defense claims it destroyed five Ukrainian SU-27 fighter jets and damaged two more Myrhorod airfields in the Ukrainian Poltava region with the Iskander-M missile.

The ministry published footage of attacks showing smoke and flames rising from the airfield.

As a result of the Russian attack, five active SU-27 multipurpose fighters were destroyed and two others were damaged, the ministry said.

Russia is targeting Ukrainian airfields as Kyiv prepares to receive the first US-designed F-16 which Moscow has promised to destroy.

Earlier, Russia's air defense system destroyed 36 Ukrainian-launched drones in three regions bordering Ukraine.

Russia's Defense Ministry said eighteen drones were shot down in the Bryansk region in western Russia, nine were destroyed in the Kursk region south of Bryansk and nine in the Belgorod region.

Regional Governors Bryansk and Kursk said via Telegram, there were no injuries or severe damage from the attack.

Kyiv said the attack on Russia's military, transport and energy infrastructure was a response to Moscow's ongoing attacks on Ukrainian territory since the start of Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022.