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Ukraine says it downed Russian Su-25 warplane in Donetsk Oblast

by The Kyiv Independent news desk February 8, 2025 5:00 PM 1 min read

A Russian Air Force officer poses for a photo on a Sukhoi Su-25 jet during the MAKS-2021 International Aviation and Space Salon on July 21, 2021, outside of Moscow, Russia. Photo for illustrative purposes. (Mikhail Svetlov/Getty Images)

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Ukraine's military said on Feb. 8 that it had downed a Russian Su-25 attack aircraft near the town of Toretsk in Donetsk Oblast.

"One more Russian attack aircraft has been lost in the Toretsk direction thanks to our air defense troops," the 28th Separate Mechanized Brigade said on Telegram.

The Kyiv Independent could not independently verify the brigade's report.

The report comes as Ukrainian troops struggle to hold the front amid a grinding Russian offensive, facing severe manpower and resource shortages.

Losing one town after another, Kyiv is fighting to retain its last strongholds in Donetsk Oblast, while U.S. President Donald Trump pushes for negotiations to end Russia's full-scale war, now nearly in its fourth year.

The Soviet-designed Su-25, nicknamed "Frogfoot" by NATO, is a heavily armored ground-attack aircraft. It has seen extensive use by both sides in Russia's full-scale war against Ukraine.

Author: The Kyiv Independent news desk

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