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Air Force reports downing Russian Su-34 jet near occupied Mariupol

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Air Force reports downing Russian Su-34 jet near occupied Mariupol
A Su-34 in the sky over Kubinka airfield in Moscow Oblast in Russia on Aug. 29, 2020. (Mihail Tokmakov/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)

Ukraine’s anti-aircraft missile system downed a Russian Su-34 fighter-bomber jet near the occupied Mariupol in Donetsk Oblast, Air Force Commander Mykola Oleshchuk reported on Dec. 24.

The Sukhoi Su-34 is a twin-seat jet. The Air Force didn’t specify whether there were two pilots or one.

Oleshchuk also said the Air Force launched a missile at a Russian Su-30 fighter jet in the Black Sea near Odesa, however, it is still unclear whether the jet was downed.

Meanwhile, air raid alerts went off in several Ukrainian regions on the evening of Dec. 24 as Russian troops launched Shahed drones against Ukraine.

Several explosions were reported in Odesa on the Christmas Eve, according to local media. Before that, the Air Force reported a missile was heading toward Odesa.

Serhii Bratchuk, a spokesperson for the Odesa Oblast military administration, reported the downing of one Shahed drone.

The Air Force earlier reported that loitering munitions are aiming at the Black Sea port cities of Odesa and Chornomorsk, along with Starokostiantyniv in Khmelnytsky Oblast, the home of the Starokostiantyniv Air Base.

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Alexander Khrebet

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Alexander Khrebet is a reporter with the Kyiv Independent. He covers Ukraine’s foreign policy, alleged abuse of power in the country’s military leadership, and reports on the Russian-occupied territories. Alexander is the European Press Prize 2023 winner, the #AllForJan Award 2023 winner and Ukraine's 2022 National Investigative Journalism Award finalist. His was published in the Washington Times and Atlantic Council.

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