Ukraine shot down another Russian A-50 aircraft over Azov Sea

On the evening of Feb. 23, the Ukrainian Air Force downed a rare Russian A-50 early warning and control aircraft over the Azov Sea. Air Force Commander Mykola Oleshchuk confirmed the downing, expressing gratitude to those involved in achieving the result. Ukraine's military intelligence agency described the downing as "another serious blow" to Russia's military capabilities. Russian state-owned news agency RIA Novosti reported that an unidentified aircraft crashed in the Kanevskoy District in Krasnodar Krai, with conflicting reports about the number of aircraft involved. The A-50 provides critical functions for detecting air defense systems and coordinating targets for Russian fighter jets. Ukraine had previously downed a Russian A-50 on Jan. 14. The destruction of the A-50 is part of a recent uptick in downed Russian planes by Ukraine.