In accordance with Russian press reports, two Russian jets and two military helicopters were shot down near the Ukrainian border, and a fifth plane crashed on the Russian side on Saturday.
An Su-34 fighter-bomber, a Su-35 fighter and two Mi-8 helicopters were “shot down almost concurrently” in an ambush in Russia’s Bryansk region, bordering northeastern Ukraine, Kommersant, an independent Russian news service reported.
The planes were reportedly a raiding party sent to launch an attack on Ukraine once they were shot down.
“In accordance with preliminary data … fighters were to perform missile and bomb attacks on targets in the Chernihiv region of Ukraine, and helicopters were there to support them – including to select up the crews of “Su” in the event that they were shot down, Kommersant reported.
Russia’s state-run TASS news agency reported that a Su-34 combat aircraft had crashed, and in addition cited an emergency services official who said an engine fire caused the helicopter to crash near Klintsa, about 25 miles from the Ukrainian border.
The state news agency didn’t mention the Su-35 or the second helicopter, but Tass said a Russian Su-34 warplane crashed in Russia’s Bryansk region.
![The helicopter was filmed exploding in the air before crashing in the city of Klintsy.](https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/05/NYPICHPDPICT000011050573.jpg)
A video posted on Russian Telegram channel Voyenniy Osvedomitel, a pro-war channel with around half one million followers, also showed a helicopter exploding in the sky before crashing to the ground in flames.
Russian media Readovka also reported the downing of the plane, which has not yet been independently confirmed.
“Two helicopters and fighter-bombers were shot down by the Armed Forces of Ukraine.” the service reported.
Our pilots have been ambushed and we’re talking a couple of fastidiously planned operation.”
![Puffs of smoke were visible after the plane crash.](https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/05/NYPICHPDPICT000011050568.jpg)
The success of the battle in the skies was accompanied by Ukrainian forces advancing in areas near the destroyed city of Bakhmut, the backdrop to a few of the bloodiest battles of the war.
“Our troops are advancing in some areas of the front, and the enemy is losing equipment and manpower,” the commander of the Ukrainian ground forces, Oleksandr Syrski, told Telegram on Saturday.
Syrski’s update comes after Yevgeny Prigozhin, the leader of the Wagner mercenary group that has been fighting for Bakhmut’s capture for months, said earlier this week that his troops were fleeing due to the “foolishness” of Russian commanders in a video posted on Telegram.
“A soldier shouldn’t die due to the absolute stupidity of his leaders,” he said. “The orders they receive from above are absolutely criminal.”
The British Ministry of Defense has confirmed that Russian troops are fleeing Bakhmut in update posted Saturday.
“Over the past 4 days, elements of the Russian 72nd Separate Motor Rifle Brigade (72 SMRB) have probably withdrawn in bad order from their positions on the southern flank of Operation Bakhmut,” the intelligence assessment reads. “Ukrainian forces have regained no less than a kilometer of territory,” or about two-thirds of a mile.
![Helicopter crash.](https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/05/NYPICHPDPICT000011050570.jpg?w=439)
The agency said the Russian brigade was “stricken by allegations of poor morale and limited combat effectiveness” before retreating.
Elsewhere in the country, Ukrainian forces reportedly destroyed two Russian self-propelled artillery systems in Kherson, Ukraine’s Special Operations Forces wrote on Facebook.
“During air reconnaissance in the direction of Kherson, Special Operations Forces discovered camouflaged positions of two self-propelled artillery systems” the post said. “Enemy equipment has been cleared by accurate drone drops.”
The explosion reportedly rocked the Russian-occupied city of Lugansk, where Moscow claimed Ukraine had used British-made Storm Shadow missiles to perform the attack.
![According to the rescue services, the helicopter crashed in the city of Klinka, Bryansk region](https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/05/NYPICHPDPICT000011050572.jpg?w=668)
“Storm Shadow air-to-air missiles supplied to the Kiev regime by the UK were used for the strike, contrary to London’s statements that these weapons wouldn’t be used against civilian targets,” the Russian Defense Ministry said.
UK Defense Minister Ben Wallace said the missiles could possibly be used on Ukrainian territory, hinting that he had been assured that they’d not be used for attacks in Russia, reported Reuters.