Ukraine claims to have shot down five Russian planes and one helicopter

The Ukraine’s military on Thursday claimed five Russian planes and one helicopter have been shot down in the Luhansk region. Luhansk is one of the separatist regions in Ukraine that was recognised as independent by Russia earlier this week.

Meanwhile, Russia’s Defense Ministry claimed Ukrainian airbases and air defences have been ‘neutralised’.

The Ukraine crisis escalated sharply early Thursday morning after Russia President Vladimir Putin ordered a 'military operation'. "I have made the decision of a military operation," he said in a televised address to the Russian people, and the world.

In the following hours blasts were heard at several major cities across the eastern European country, and news agency Reuters reported missile strikes at Ukrainian military installations in capital Kyiv.

Major western powers - the US, the UK, and the European Union - as well as other countries, have announced sanctions against Russia, but Putin's government has played down their impact so far.

Meanwhile, US President Joe Biden condemned Putin’s order of invasion and said he would be coordinating with NATO allies to respond to Russia’s aggression.

The UK and its allies will respond decisively to Russia’s “unprovoked” attack on Ukraine, said Prime Minister Boris Johnson. “President Putin has chosen a path of bloodshed and destruction by launching this unprovoked attack on Ukraine. The UK and our allies will respond decisively,” he stated.

On the other hand, Ukraine urged UN ‘to do everything possible to stop the war’ at the second emergency Security Council session. 

• Russia Ukraine Crisis
• Ukraine claims
• five Russian planes
• shot down
• one helicopter