Ukraine says it destroyed 11 Russian aerial assets, thwarted crossing of river

Russia-Ukraine war: As many as seven Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), two cruise missiles, one Ka-52 helicopter and one Mi-28 chopper were reportedly destroyed by Ukraine's air force, said The Kyiv Independent.

The Ukrainian Air Force has claimed it targeted and destroyed as many as 11 Russian aerial assets, in the process, also preventing Moscow’s troops from crossing a river, which, if true, would mean that Russian forces have, for a second time, failed to cross a river in Ukraine.

Ukrainian soldiers sit on a armoured military vehicule in the city of Severodonetsk, Donbass region. (AFP/Image used only for representation)

“11 Russian targets destroyed on May 15. Anti-aircraft missiles shot down two cruise missiles, three Orlan-10 UAVs, and one Ka-52 helicopter. The air defence also shot down an Mi-28 helicopter and four Orlan-10 UAVs,” The Kyiv Independent said on Monday, citing the country’s air force.

“The operations prevented a river crossing of Russian forces across the Inhulets River located in central-east,” the paper also reported.

Inhulets, also known as Ingulets, is a tributary of the Dnieper, which is one of the major rivers in Europe.

Earlier, the Russians were prevented from crossing the Siverskyi Donets river in the Donetsk region of the war-hit nation, in an attack during which, Kyiv said, its air troops destroyed a pontoon bridge and damaged military vehicles nearby, including ‘at least 73 tanks.’

The two-day battle was first reported by the UK on May 13.

Russia, which invaded Ukraine on February 24, has, thus far, failed to make major inroads on the territory of its smaller neighbour, despite having superiority in almost all aspects. It has, however, taken ‘significant losses,’ as per various estimates.

Major General Kyrylo Budanov, the head of Ukraine’s military intelligence, told Sky News in a recent, exclusive interview that Russian President Vladimir Putin, who approved the ‘special military operation,’ is ‘seriously unwell’ and facing ‘threat of a coup.’

(With agency inputs)