Ukraine's air force reported on Friday that it had shot down a Russian strategic bomber, but Moscow officials countered, stating that the plane crashed in a sparsely populated area due to a malfunction after a combat mission. Independent verification of either claim is unavailable.
Moscow has historically remained silent or denied Ukrainian claims of downing Russian warplanes during their ongoing conflict.
Despite Russia's superior air force, Kyiv's acquisition of sophisticated missile systems from Western allies poses a significant threat to Russian aviation.
The conflict has evolved into a war of attrition, with Kremlin forces slowly advancing along the approximately 1,000-kilometer (620-mile) front line.
The Ukrainian report said the air force and military intelligence cooperated to bring down the Tu-22M3 bomber with anti-aircraft missiles. Russia commonly uses the bomber to fire Kh-22 cruise missiles at Ukrainian targets from inside its own airspace. The plane can also carry nuclear warheads.
The Russian Defense Ministry said the warplane crashed "in a deserted area" in Russia's southern region of Stavropol.
Three crew members were rescued after ejecting from the aircraft, and the search for a fourth is taking place, according to the ministry. But Stavropol Governor Vladimir Vladimirov said one of the rescued pilots died.
On Christmas Eve, Ukraine claimed to have shot down two Russian fighter jets. In January, the Ukrainian air force said it shot down a Russian early warning and control plane and a key command center aircraft that relays information to troops on the ground, in what appeared to be a significant blow to the Kremlin's forces. The next month, Ukraine said it knocked out another early warning and control plane.
Also in January, Moscow accused Kyiv of shooting down a Russian military transport plane that was carrying Ukrainian POWs who were headed for a prisoner swap.
Meanwhile, Russian missiles struck cities in the central Dnipro region of Ukraine, killing eight people, including an 8-year-old girl, and injuring 25, local officials said.
Russian forces conducted a combined aerial attack with the use of 22 missiles of various types and 14 Shahed drones during the night, the Ukrainian air force said.
All 14 Shahed drones and 15 of the missiles were intercepted, it said.
