Ukraine has claimed that it has downed a Russian A-50 military spy plane, media reports said.
This is the second such claim made by Ukraine in more than a month’s period.
The plane was hit between the Russian cities of Rostov-on-Don and Krasnodar, Ukrainian military sources said, over 200km (124 miles) from the front line, reported BBC.
According to reports, emergency services rushed to the spot and found fragments of the plane in Kanevskoy district.
They also doused the flame.
Russia has not commented on the claim so far.
The head of Ukraine’s Air Force Mykola Oleshchuk thanked his service and military intelligence for helping to bring down the plane – a long-range radar detection aircraft – on Friday and noted the incident coincided with a key Russian military holiday, BBC reported.
Several videos are trending on social media sites claiming to be the moment when the plane appeared to be shot down.
Ukraine earlier claimed it shot down an A-50 on 14 January.
Russian invasion of Ukraine completes two years
The UN Secretary-General addressed the Security Council on Friday (February 23, 2024), underscoring the fundamental need to honour the sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity of Ukraine, as the full-scale invasion by Russia of the country marks its second anniversary.
“Two years on and a decade since Russia’s attempted illegal annexation of Ukraine’s Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol, the war in Ukraine remains an open wound at the heart of Europe,” António Guterres said.
“It is high time for peace – a just peace, based on the UN Charter, international law and General Assembly resolutions,” he stressed.
Addressing Security Council members, with several Ministers and ambassadors in attendance, the Secretary-General reminded them of the United Nations principle of the sovereign equality of all its Members.
He stated that as per the UN Charter, international disputes shall be settled by peaceful means, and that all States shall refrain from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any other State.