According to the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense, the Russian Aerospace Forces shot down a Ukrainian Air Force Su-27 fighter jet.
"Fighter pilot Ivan Bolotov of the Ukrainian Air Force did not return from his combat mission," stated the relevant authority of the Ukrainian Ministry.
The Ukrainian pilot Bolotov was killed at the age of 24, media reports added.
Developments from the frontline of the war
The Russian army continues its offensive operations on the ground. In the past hours, Russian forces have launched assaults in various areas and sectors of the front.
Ukrainian soldiers attempted counterattacks in the direction of Pokrovsk, but without success, according to Russian defense media. Meanwhile, Russian troops are advancing closer to the Ukrainian region of Dnipropetrovsk in the central-eastern part of the country.
Intense urban battles are taking place in Toretsk. Ukrainian defenders are fighting to the death to hold their positions and fortifications within the city.
The Chasiv Yar direction is undoubtedly one of the most intense across the entire front. Russian soldiers are relentlessly attacking the Ukrainian city. Ukrainians are launching counterattacks to regain lost positions, but without success.
A Russian soldier claimed that Ukrainians are hiding behind civilians, whom they transported to Chasiv Yar to use as shields against Russian fire.
"I saw with my own eyes that the headquarters of the Ukrainian army was located in a part of the city where there were still civilians. Ukrainian soldiers are fighting from the basements of homes where people have not evacuated," said a Russian soldier online.
On the Zaporizhzhia front, the situation remained largely unchanged. Russian and Ukrainian forces are engaged in hostilities over small stretches of land, but the most significant losses are caused by missile strikes from both sides. Both the Russian and Ukrainian armies are using multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS) to target key enemy positions.
Finally, during the night, Ukraine launched an attack with dozens of drones over southwestern Russian regions. The Kremlin reported that 70 incoming drones were shot down over Rostov, Volgograd, Astrakhan, Voronezh, Belgorod, and Kursk.
