War in Ukraine: Russian military planes shot down, Zelensky on the front line… update on the situation

Zelensky en vite sur la ligne de front-est ce 19 février 2024. MAXPPP – PRESIDENTIAL PRESS SERVICE HANDOUT HANDOUT

Every day, Midi Libre takes stock of the situation in Ukraine. This Monday, February 19, 2024, discover the latest news around this conflict.

Volodymyr Zelensky goes to the northeast front line

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky visited the northeast sector of the front line where he met troops fighting against Russian invasion forces, said reported to his office this Monday.

Volodymyr Zelensky went to the command post of the brigade which defends the city of Kupiansk, the target of an intensification of Russian attacks since mid-autumn. The city was liberated by Ukrainian forces in 2022, after its initial occupation by Russian troops following their large-scale invasion on February 24 of that year.

Ukrainian authorities say Russia has not abandoned the idea of ​​regaining control of Kupiansk, located near Kharkiv, Ukraine's second city .

During his visit, Volodymyr Zelensky discussed with the brigade commander the supply of equipment and ammunition to the sector. He also presented awards to the soldiers, his office said. After an unsuccessful Ukrainian counter-offensive in 2023, Russian troops intensified their assaults along the eastern front line

Ukraine said at the weekend it had withdrawn its troops from the devastated town of Avdiivka in the east of the country to avoid a risk of destruction. #39;they are not surrounded by Russian forces. The capture of Avdiivka marks Russia's greatest battlefield victory since the capture of Bakhmut in May 2023.

6 Russian military planes shot down in three days, Ukraine says

The Ukrainian army shot down two additional planes used by Russia to drop high-powered guided bombs on troops deployed on the front, its leader Oleksandr Syrsky said on Monday.

The two downed planes are an Su-34 tactical bomber and a Su-35 multirole fighter, Oleksandr Syrsky said on Telegram, without indicating the locations where the two aircraft were destroyed. This weekend, Ukraine said it had shot down four more Russian Sukhoi, three Su-34s and one Su-35, in the east of the country.

"In just three days, the enemy lost six aircraft", said Monday Oleksandr Pavliuk, the new head of the Ukrainian Army. Russia did not comment. Moscow has air superiority over kyiv, but Ukraine uses Western air defense systems to counter Russian attacks.

Ukraine accuses Russia of targeting civilians using its Su-34 bombers, particularly in the Kherson region (south).

Ukraine accuses Russia of executing wounded prisoners

Ukrainian authorities announced on Sunday February 18, 2024 that they had opened an investigation into alleged shooting by Russian forces against six unarmed Ukrainian soldiers in the town of Avdiivka and two in Vesele, a village in the same region.< /p>

"An investigation into the shootings of unarmed Ukrainian prisoners of war in Avdiivka and Vesele has been opened", writes the prosecutor's office of the Donetsk region on its Telegram account.

Prosecutors cited reports of "the'execution of six prisoners" at Avdiivka, adding that they were "seriously injured and waiting to be evacuated". He said the information was shared on Telegram, without naming the source.

Ukrainian state TV channel Suspilne quoted Ukrainian military spokesman Dmytro Lykhoviy as saying: "There is still no possibility of confirming or denying" the Avdiivka murders, as an investigation is underway.

He added that this would not be the first time that Russia had committed war crimes. Ukrainian troops withdrew from the devastated eastern town of Avdiivka on Saturday, paving the way for the biggest advance by Russian troops in nine months.