Russia claims attacks destroyed several Ukrainian fighter jets

Russia’s Ministry of Defense said Seven Ukrainian fighter jets were destroyed and damaged in a missile attack on an airfield in central Ukraine on Tuesday.

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

The brief statement was accompanied by undated aerial photographs showing an explosion and smoke rising from an airfield.

The Russian Defense Ministry said the attack hit the Myrhorod airfield in Ukraine’s Poltava region.

Former spokesman for the Ukrainian Air Force, Yuri Ihnat confirmed the attack on Myrhorod, but accused the Russian military of exaggerating the extent of the damage.

“There are losses, but not in the way the enemy claims, because that is what they have been doing since the beginning of the invasion,” Ihnat wrote on Facebook shortly after midnight.

Ihnat told According to Reuters, Russian reconnaissance drones were involved in the attack on Myrhorod and posed a “very serious threat”.

“It flies and reports everything in real time, and then Iskander arrives in a few minutes. That’s obvious,” he was quoted as saying.

Russia has announced its attack on a Ukrainian airfield as Kyiv prepares to receive the first shipments of American F-16 fighter jets from Europe. Moscow threatened to destroy the Western warplanes.