Russia announced, early Monday, the “neutralization” of two Ukrainian planes that “crashed” in Moscow. Russia accused Kiev of trying to carry out a “terrorist act” in Moscow.
Russia confirmed that it had thwarted a Ukrainian attack by drones on the capital. The Russian Defense Ministry said that the air defense forces repelled a Ukrainian attack by drones on Moscow. It added that two drones were intercepted and destroyed.
For his part, Sergei Sobyanin, Mayor of Moscow, said on the Telegram application that drones collided with two non-residential buildings in the Russian capital at about 4 am (0100 GMT) today, Monday.
He added, “This did not result in serious damage or injuries.”
On Sunday, Ukraine vowed to Russia to “respond” to a violent nighttime missile attack on the coastal city of Odessa that killed two people and damaged a historic cathedral, while Russian President Vladimir Putin confirmed, during his meeting with his Belarusian counterpart and ally Alexander Lukashenko, the “failure” of Kiev’s counterattack.
US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken announced, Sunday, in a statement to CNN, that Ukraine will receive F-16 fighters, noting that their delivery will take several months.
“Even if the decision on F-16 is made tomorrow, it will take several months before it begins to be implemented,” Blinken said.
He continued, “We are talking about training, maintenance, and the availability of opportunities to use them in joint arms operations, all of this takes time.”
In response to a clarifying question about whether he thinks Ukraine will receive American fighters, he said: “I think so. It is important to focus on ensuring that when they receive them, they are properly prepared, and able to use these aircraft wisely.”
“Our military leadership is making every effort to determine which (weapons) are most effective for the Ukrainians, how quickly they can be deployed, how effectively they can be used, and the F-16 operation moving forward,” he added, quoting the Russian news agency TASS.
Blinken stressed that Ukraine has regained 50 percent of its lands occupied by Russia, and that its counterattack is proceeding with difficulty and will continue for several months.
