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Ukraine said today that it shot down four self-guided missiles overnight, but did not say which region it was in. The increased Russian attacks are fueling fears that Moscow is trying to retake frontline cities in the northeastern region. Russia, on the other hand, announced two drones that collided in different regions within Russia, but did not provide details on whether there were casualties. In his daily address on Saturday, Ukrainian President Volodomyr Zelenskiy announced three Ukrainian pilots who died while flying over Zhitomir, west of Kiev, on Friday.
President Zelenskiy refused to say the reasons for their deaths.
"There has been a catastrophe in the sky over the region of Zhitomir. Three pilots lost their lives. Among them there were officers who helped our country a lot. An investigation into what happened has begun, but it is too early to discuss details. Of course, all the circumstances will be clarified and that Ukraine will never forget anyone who defended the free skies of Ukraine," said President Zelenskiy.
The Ukrainian Air Force wrote on the Telegram app that two L-39 military aircraft collided on Friday during a combat mission over the western region of Zhytomyr in Ukraine. Among the three pilots who died was Andriy Pilshchykov, who has campaigned publicly for Ukraine to take over American-made F-16 fighter jets.
"F-16 fighter jets are the best solution at the moment," pilot Pilshkov said during an interview with British television, Sky News, in February of this year. In his daily speech, Ukrainian President Zelenskiy said that this year will raise the Ukrainian air force to another level as the arrival of the F16 aircraft is expected soon.
"This year, Ukraine must fulfill all the necessary tasks to introduce F-16 aircraft into our airspace. This will mark a new level for Ukrainian military aviation. This will also bring us closer to victory and provide greater security to Ukraine," President Zelenskiy said.
Ukrainian forces say that fighting on the front lines has become more intense, but Russian forces have not breached their defenses. According to them, the country's forces shot down four Russian self-guided missiles during the night, but they did not indicate which region it was about. UK military intelligence reports estimate that Russia is trying to reverse the gradual successes of the Ukrainian counteroffensive near the city of Bakhmut and the Zaporizhzhia region.
The Washington-based Institute for the Study of War estimated on Friday that Ukrainian forces were advancing in Zaporizhzhia after liberating the village of Robotyne earlier this week. Russia meanwhile announced two drone attacks inside its territory. One of them was in the Kursk region, near the border with Ukraine, but without causing casualties or significant material damage.
Another drone crashed on Sunday over the Bryansk region in western Russia, the Russian defense ministry said on the Telegram social network, but gave no further information on possible damage or casualties. In Kiev on Sunday morning, hundreds of people took to Independence Square to protest after family members who worked as border guards are still being held captive by Russia for 500 days. One of those who protested today in Kiev is 9-year-old Mykola Butko, whose father is one of the hostages being held by Russia.
"My father is a border guard. He is in captivity for more than 500 days. I really miss you. We believe that he will return home", says the 9-year-old, Mykola. His father Petro is being held hostage by Russia after fighting for 86 days in defense of Mariupol, the Ukrainian industrial city in the Donetsk region in one of the fiercest battles of the war in Ukraine. /VOA
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