Ukraine claims responsibility for shooting down three Russian Su-34 fighter jets

According to Ukraine's military, three Russian fighter jets were shot down in the southern part of the country. The Ukrainian air force announced that three Su-34 fighter bombers were downed over the Kherson region. President Volodymr Zelensky expressed gratitude to the servicemen involved in shooting down the planes, noting that the incident occurred in the war-torn Kherson Region. Russia has not commented on the claims, but influential Russian bloggers have reported losses. President Zelensky emphasized that the downing of the planes would serve as a warning to Russian pilots attacking targets in Ukraine that they will face consequences. He also mentioned discussions with Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte regarding the future delivery of F-16 jets and a new EU support package. While Russia has not addressed the reported loss of its jets, a Russian war blogger called Fighterbomber indicated that an unspecified number of planes might have been downed by US-made Patriot missiles. The blogger also mentioned the recovery of both surviving and deceased crew members. Another blogger, Voenniy Osvedomitel, suggested that the planes were likely used to drop glide bombs on a Ukrainian position on the Russian-controlled side of the Dnipro River. Ukraine is currently facing an ammunition shortage as it continues to battle Russian forces following Moscow's invasion in February 2022. Kyiv's counter-offensive has recently come to a halt, and there has been reluctance from Republican representatives in the US, Ukraine's largest military supporter, to provide further funding for the war effort. Despite this, President Zelensky, in a year-end press conference, affirmed that Ukraine is not losing the war with Russia.