Ukraine-Russia war live: Kyiv downs warplane in southern push as Putin’s forces take Avdiivka coke plant
Ukrainian forces downed a Russian fighter jet and a dozen attack drones, Kyiv has claimed, as they repelled multiple attacks near Avdiivka and further south.
“I want to thank Air Force units for their successful combat work!” Mykola Oleshchuk wrote on the Telegram messaging app.
It was the fourth fighter jet in two days that Ukraine claimed to have shot down. More than 80 Russian combat aircraft have been confirmed as either destroyed or damaged since the full-scale invasion, according to war tracker Oryx.
This comes as Russia says its forces have taken full control of the Avdiivka Coke and Chemical Plant, two days after Ukraine confirmed its withdrawal from the town.
Russia’s defence ministry said yesterday that Ukrainian units were still entrenched at the plant, which is on the northwestern edge of Avdiivka.
A frontline city, Avdiivka has been under intense attacks from three directions from Russian forces since October last year after Vladimir Putin’s troops launched a renewed offensive with fresh stockpiles of ammunition.
The Biden administration has linked the loss of Avdiivka to Congressional inaction on $60bn in military aid for Ukraine.
