Ukraine successfully targeted a Russian Su-30 fighter jet using a missile launched from a sea drone, marking what Ukraine’s GUR military intelligence agency claims is the first instance of a combat aircraft being downed by a maritime drone.
In a statement shared on social media, it was reported that the fighter jet was shot down by a military intelligence unit called Group 13 yesterday over the waters near Novorossiysk, a significant Russian port city located on the Black Sea.
Facing a larger and wealthier Russian opponent, Ukraine has increasingly utilized drone warfare both in the air and at sea throughout the ongoing three-year conflict.
Ukraine’s maritime drones, which are less expensive and smaller than traditional vessels, have caused significant disruptions to Russia’s Black Sea fleet.
The announcement regarding the sea attack coincides with the mayor of Novorossiysk declaring a state of emergency after reporting that a Ukrainian drone strike today had damaged residential buildings and injured at least five individuals, including two children.
Watch: Moment Ukrainian drone strikes building in Russian port city of Novorossiysk
Mayor Andrei Kravchenko shared his decision via his official Telegram account today, showcasing his inspection of the damage to apartment buildings and relaying instructions to officials.
Mr. Kravchenko noted that one of the injured, a woman, was in serious condition at the hospital.
The Ukrainian air force indicated that overnight, Russia launched an attack on Ukraine using 183 drones and two ballistic missiles.
Of the 183 drones, the air force stated that 77 were shot down, with another 73 crashing without inflicting any damage.
Trump ‘began to see things a little differently’ after Vatican meeting – Zelensky
In the meantime, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky commented that US leader Donald Trump’s perspective had started to shift following their recent meeting at the Vatican, marking their first encounter since a disagreement at the White House.
“I believe that after our meeting in the Vatican, President Trump started experiencing a change in perspective. We’ll see how it evolves; ultimately, it’s his decision,” Mr. Zelensky remarked.
In statements from his presidential office, Mr. Zelensky described his brief interaction with Mr. Trump during Pope Francis’ funeral as the most productive they’ve had together.
Volodymyr Zelensky met with Donald Trump at the Vatican last weekend
He mentioned that both he and Mr. Trump concurred that a 30-day ceasefire between Kyiv and Moscow would be a suitable initial step towards achieving peace in the ongoing war in Ukraine.
However, he dismissed a three-day ceasefire that Russian leader Vladimir Putin announced in connection with Moscow’s World War II commemorations, adding that Kyiv is prepared for a complete ceasefire.
Mr. Zelensky also brought up the issue of sanctions with Mr. Trump at their meeting, stating the US president’s response to be “very strong.”
Mr. Zelensky did not elaborate further on this point.
Ukraine won’t be “playing games to create a pleasant atmosphere to allow for Putin’s exit from isolation on May 9,” when several international leaders are anticipated to visit Moscow, Mr. Zelensky declared.
Moscow, he emphasized, bears the responsibility for the safety of global leaders visiting Russia for the elaborate World War II commemorations scheduled for next week.
46 people injured in drone attack on Kharkiv
Rescue teams assess the damage following a drone strike in Kharkiv last night
Russia executed a large-scale drone strike late yesterday in Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city, targeting a high-rise apartment building, igniting fires, and injuring 46 individuals, according to officials.
Mayor Ihor Terekhov shared on the Telegram messaging app that strikes occurred in 12 locations across four central districts of the city, which has been a repeated target of Russian air assaults and lies 30 km from Ukraine’s northeastern border.
Mr. Zelensky condemned the drone strikes, which have been impacting Ukrainian cities multiple times each week. He noted that a significant number of drones had been deployed while Ukraine’s allies were acting too slowly to reinforce its air defense systems.
“There were no military targets, nor could there be any. Russia attacks homes when Ukrainians are inside, when they are tucking their children into bed,” Mr. Zelensky wrote on Telegram.
Russia refutes allegations of intentionally targeting civilians, although many thousands have lost their lives since it launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
