Ukrainian forces downed a Russian early warning and control aircraft Friday, the air force chief said, a major win for the country as its army fights to repel persistent Russian attacks along the front line as the war enters its third year. Gen. Mykola Oleshchuk thanked Ukraine's military intelligence for helping down the Russian A-50 aircraft on Russia's military holiday Friday. Ukrainian media carried footage purportedly showing a massive fire that erupted when the big warplane crashed in the Krasnodar region on the eastern coast of the Sea of Azov.
President Volodymyr Zelensky discussed the ongoing border blockade of Polish farmers with Ukrainian officials on Feb. 21 and said Kyiv would take the next steps "very quickly." He didn't specify what these steps would entail.
Ukraine has granted the first licence for the use of narcotic drugs in combat conditions. Now it is planned to consider their use in military units. This also applies to psychotropic substances and precursors, the website of the Ministry of Defence reported.
The Biden administration is working towards supplying Ukraine with powerful new long-range ballistic missiles, two high-ranking US officials have said.