Russia suffers ‘worse day in decade’ as Putin’s aircraft worth millions downed by Ukraine
Russia suffers ‘worse day in decade’ as Putin’s aircraft worth millions downed by Ukraine
One aircraft, caught in shocking footage, spiralled to the ground, leaving a vertical plume of smoke as it tumbled through the sky.
Two Russian warplanes and two military helicopters plunged to the ground after being struck by suspected Ukrainian missile strikes, according to reports in Moscow, in what has been dubbed the “worst day in decades for the Russian Air Force”. At least four crew were killed in the crashes, as Vladimir Putin’s forces suffered another devastating blow.
A Su-34 supersonic fighter bomber and an Su-35 single seater fighter were downed, however there have been conflicting reports as to the precise locations that they fell.
Meanwhile two Mi-8 helicopters were also blasted from the skies, one falling in the Klintsy and the other in Unechsky district, both of which are in the Bryansk region of Russia, which borders northern Ukraine.
Earlier, Russian state news agency TASS cited an emergency services source saying: “The Su-34 crashed near the Ukrainian border. The fate of those on board is being established.”
There has been some speculation that only three aircraft were shot down, however Russian media outlets Mash and Baza both claimed the real number is four.
The aircraft plunged to earth
The aircraft plunged to earth (Image: Will Stewart)
The aircraft burst into flames upon crashing to the ground
This comes following accusations that Putin’s troops have committed mass torture and war crimes.
A new bombshell dossier has claimed Russian soldiers raped a female Ukrainian soldier for three days in a row and choked prisoners with gas masks.
The claims were made by Danish anti-torture organisation, Dignity.
Dignity alleges that a military volunteer was captured and imprisoned, before being tortured for five months.
The fire raged after the crash
The fire raged after the crash (Image: Will Stewart)
Putin’s war machine has been accused of more than 700 cases of human rights abuses
Putin’s war machine has been accused of more than 700 cases of human rights abuses (Image: DIGNITY)
The volunteer told Dignity that he was bound, gagged, beaten, strangled with electrical wire until he passed out, then doused in water to wake him up only so the torment could start over again.
Speaking to the group, the unnamed man said: “On the third day, I asked my tormentors … finish me off, because I didn’t have anything to tell them.
“[One of the torturers] called one of his supervisors [and] showed me to him through the phone. The one on the phone just nodded and said nothing.”
