Russia Ukraine war live: Serious blow for Putin as Kyiv says it has shot down £250m spy plane

Ukraine’s air force have confirmed they have shot down a Russian A-50 spy plane and Il-22 command aircraft in the area of the Sea of Azov.

“Ukraine‘s Air Force destroyed an enemy A-50 long-range radar detection aircraft and an enemy IL-22 air control centre. I am grateful to the Air Force for the perfectly planned and executed operation in the Azov Sea region!” army chief Valeriy Zaluzhny said on the Telegram messaging app.

Earlier, we reported that sources had told Ukraine’s public broadcaster that multiple planes had been shot down overnight.

Long convoys of trucks and tractors disrupted traffic on the outskirts of the capital, Bucharest, and other cities throughout the European Union nation as Romanian truck drivers and farmers protested following the failure of talks with government in the sixth straight day of demonstrations.

Farmers are demanding faster subsidy payments, compensation for losses caused by imports from neighboring Ukraine, and more state aid for fuel costs, among other demands. Truck drivers are calling for lower tax and insurance rates, and have complained about lengthy waiting times at the borders.

Meetings between the protesters and the agriculture and transport ministries were held over the weekend, but no agreements were reached. The demonstrators on Saturday also caused brief blockades at the border with Ukraine in the northeast, Ukrainian border authorities said on Telegram.

“The attack UAV of the border guards of the Steel Frontier Brigade of the Offensive Guard returned from a night hunt in Kharkiv region.”

Ukrainians are being encouraged to contribute to the “People’s Drone” project by assembling military drones at home.

The initiative offers a free engineering course, enabling participants to learn how to construct a 7-inch FPV (first-person-view) drone for military use.

In a post on social media he said: “Now – treatment, support, accompaniment, rehabilitation, socialization and a future for military personnel who have completely or partially lost the ability to see the light is reborn and will work systematically!

“The goal is to create the only working rehabilitation program that will help everyone feel that the light is in each of us!”

He said: Switzerland provides Ukraine with not only humanitarian aid but also long-term financial assistance, political support, and sanctions. Today, we discussed a new long-term support program.

“I am grateful to President @Violapamherd for agreeing that our teams will begin joint work tomorrow on preparations for the Global Peace Summit at the level of leaders in Switzerland. This summit should provide the momentum for what we’ve already accomplished.

“It should also state that the conclusion of the war can only be just, and that the restoration of international law’s force must be truly comprehensive. Switzerland is our partner in these endavors.”

Myroslav Nytka, a member of a Zakarpattia Oblast’s village council was injured in a grenade attack in December and has since died in the hospital, raising the total death toll to two according to the Kyiv Independent.

Ukrainian authorities are said to be investigating the incident as an act of terrorism. The suspect is yet to be identified.

Rishi Sunak said that “Ukraine’s rightful place is in Nato,” while speaking to MPs on Monday, 15 January.

The Prime Minister said that the UK will have provided almost £12 billion in aid to Ukraine, and have become the first to provide new bilateral security commitments, originally outlined at the 2023 Nato Summit.

He also confirmed an extra £2.5 billion in military funding to Ukraine after visiting Kyiv on Friday.

“Ukraine’s rightful place is in Nato, and Nato will be stronger with Ukraine in it. But these committments will help bridge the gap until this day comes,” Mr Sunak said.

Britain should prepare for further wars involving China, Russia, Iran and North Korea in the next five years, Grant Shapps has warned.

In his first speech as defence secretary, Shapps presented a dark picture of a “pre-war world” in which old and new enemies have redrawn battle lines against Britain and the West.

In the wide-ranging address, in which he called on NATO members to increase their defence spending to at least 2 per cent of their GDP, he warned that the foundations of the rules-based international order are being “shaken to the core”.

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“It will be another dark day for the Russian Aerospace Forces and Air Defense,” wrote Rybar, a blogger with nearly 1.2 million subscribers that supports and provides running commentary on Russia’s war in Ukraine.

“There are not many A-50s. And the specialists operating them are generally rare. If an aircraft of this type is hit, the crew will not be able to escape.”

The Ukrainian defence ministry valued the A-50 at $330 million.

Ukrainian military spy chief Kyrylo Budanov told the Financial Times that Russia had eight A-50s left.

London-based think tank IISS said in a 2021 report that Russia had nine A-50 aircraft in operation, including four modernised A-50U planes.

The Russian defence ministry said early last year that the modernised A-50U had been carrying out missions during the war in Ukraine.

The aircraft, which goes by the NATO reporting name of Mainstay, can detect more than 300 targets simultaneously, it said. It can detect and track a missile launch at a distance of 800 km and ground and sea targets at 300 km.