Ukraine war latest: Ukrainian drones hit 2 Russian Su-27 jets in Crimea, intelligence agency says
Key developments on Dec. 20-21:
- Ukrainian drones hit 2 Russian Su-27 jets in Crimea, intelligence agency says
- France and Russia signal openness to holding separate talks as US-led peace efforts remain inconclusive
- 50 civilians in Sumy Oblast abducted and forcibly taken to Russia, ombudsman says
- Ukraine to replace head of Southern Air Command following repeated deadly Russian strikes in Odesa Oblast
Ukrainian long-range drones have struck two Russian Su-27 fighter jets at the Belbek military airfield in Russian-occupied Crimea, the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) said on Dec. 20.
The drones are operated by the SBU's Special Operations Center "A" (Alpha), according to the agency.
Belbek is a Russian military airfield in occupied Crimea located near Sevastopol. It has been used by Russian forces as a key hub for deploying fighter aircraft and positioning air defense assets on the peninsula.
"Long-range drones of the SBU's Alpha Special Operations Center hit two Su-27 aircraft at the Russian military airfield in Belbek, temporarily occupied Crimea. One of the planes was on a taxiway with a full combat load and ready for a combat sortie — it was destroyed," the SBU wrote on Telegram.
The SBU said the combined cost of the two aircraft is estimated at around $70 million. It also said that the airfield's control tower was struck, which "may complicate the organization and control of flights at the airfield."
"This is already the second successful SBU attack on the Belbek airfield in recent days. On Dec. 18, our drones struck Russian equipment worth hundreds of millions of dollars — including two Nebo-SVU radars, a 92N6 radar of the S-400 Triumph system, a Pantsir-S2 air defense system, and a MiG-31 aircraft with a full combat load," the agency added.
Strikes on key Russian airfields and the destruction of aircraft and air defense systems in occupied Crimea "significantly reduce the enemy's military potential in the region," the agency said.
"This systematic work will continue," the SBU said.
France and Russia signal openness to holding separate talks as US-led peace efforts remain inconclusive
French President Emmanuel Macron and Russian President Vladimir Putin have said they are willing to "engage in dialogue."
The signals come as U.S.-led efforts to secure a peace deal lag, with ongoing talks yielding few results and no ceasefire.
The first public signal came on Dec. 21 from Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov, who stated that Vladimir Putin had "expressed readiness to engage in dialogue."
"Therefore, if there is mutual political will, this can only be viewed positively," Peskov told Russian state media.
The French presidency responded positively, with BFM TV citing the Elysee Palace: "It is welcome that the Kremlin has publicly agreed to this approach. We will decide in the coming days on the best way to proceed."
The Elysee Palace also emphasized that any discussions with Moscow would be conducted "in full transparency" with President Volodymyr Zelensky and European leaders, with the ultimate goal of securing a "solid and lasting peace" for Ukraine.
Macron and Putin previously held a call on July 1 after nearly three years without contact, discussing Russia's war against Ukraine and the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. Following this conversation, Macron also called Zelensky.
Macron frequently called Putin during the first year of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
On Dec. 17, Putin lashed out at Western leaders during an annual meeting with his defense ministry, calling European leaders "piglets" and declaring that the goals of Russia's full-scale war against Ukraine would be met "unconditionally."
50 civilians in Sumy Oblast abducted and forcibly taken to Russia, ombudsman says
Russian troops abducted around 50 residents of the village of Hrabovske in Ukraine’s Sumy Oblast, about 200 meters from the Russian border, Ukrainian Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets wrote on Telegram.
According to preliminary information, on Dec. 18, Russian forces illegally detained about 50 civilians — residents of the village of Hrabovske — holding them without access to communication or adequate conditions. On Dec. 20, they were forcibly taken to Russia.
"I immediately contacted the Commissioner for Human Rights in the Russian Federation, demanding information about the whereabouts of the illegally deported Ukrainian citizens, details on the conditions of their detention, and their urgent needs, as well as requesting measures for their immediate return to Ukraine. I also sent a letter to the ICRC," Lubinets wrote.
The ombudsman also urged civilians in the area to evacuate immediately, as staying in the combat zone is dangerous. He stressed the need to adopt a law on compulsory evacuation, particularly for children, from areas where there is an immediate threat to their lives and freedom.
The information about the abduction of Ukrainian civilians in Sumy Oblast was also confirmed earlier by a spokesperson for Ukraine's General Staff, Dmytro Lykhovii.
Most of those forcibly taken are elderly men and women; one of the women is 89 years old, Lykhovii told Ukrainska Pravda on Dec. 21. Almost all of them had previously refused to evacuate deeper into Ukrainian-controlled territory.
Law enforcement agencies have already launched an investigation into the forced deportation of civilians, the spokesperson added.
Later today, Viktor Trehubov, the head of communications for Ukraine's Joint Forces, told Suspilne that on Dec. 20, Russian military units from the 36th Brigade entered a border village and attempted to advance up to one kilometer into Ukraine. Among the 50 civilians taken, most were men — people who had previously refused evacuation.
Fighting is ongoing in the village of Hrabovske, the Joint Forces Task Force wrote on Facebook. Ukrainian troops are actively working to push the Russian forces back into Russian territory.
"Despite some reports in the media, Russian forces are currently absent in the neighboring village of Riasne," the statement also clarified.
Ukraine to replace head of Southern Air Command following repeated deadly Russian strikes in Odesa Oblast
Kyiv is looking to replace the head of the Southern Air Command, Dmytro Karpenko, following several deadly Russian strikes on Odesa Oblast, President Volodymyr Zelensky told reporters on Dec. 20.
"We are strengthening air defense, we will also strengthen, to be honest, the command. Today, I raised this issue regarding the replacement of the commander... I think they will find another candidate. Because we need to react in a timely manner, quickly," he said.
Russia attacked the port infrastructure of Odesa Oblast in southern Ukraine the night of Dec. 19, killing at least eight people and injuring 27 others.
Some of the victims were riding a bus that was struck at the "epicenter" of the Russian attack, the State Emergency Service reported.
On Dec. 18, a Russian strike drone hit a civilian car traveling across a bridge in Odesa Oblast, killing a woman and injuring her three children, Odesa Oblast Governor Oleh Kiper said.
Odesa Oblast's port infrastructure is a regular target of Russian attacks. Recent strikes against the region have caused days-long blackouts and have left residents without running water.
"No matter how difficult it is for us, we need to protect as many people as possible, protect Odesa and our other regions as much as possible," Zelensky said of the planned replacement.
Note from the author:
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