Amidst the muddled information coming from the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv as they are pounded by invading Russian military forces are reports that Ukrainian forces have shot down a Russian aircraft over Kyiv in the predawn hours of Feb. 25th raining fire and debris onto a high-rise apartment complex, tragically setting it ablaze. This report has been confirmed by an advisor to the nation’s Minister of the Interior according to The New York Post.
Ukrainian Forces Holding Kyiv, If Only Just
The now-viral footage online shows the plane exploding in a brilliant burst of flames and then shards of the obliterated attacking jet plunging down through the darkness of the night skies on the banks of the River Dnipro that bisects Kyiv. The mayor of the besieged capital city Vitali Klitschko told the media that at least three people, presumably civilians in the building were injured in the subsequent fire.
Video filmed by someone on the Ground of what appears to be a Russian Aircraft getting shot down by Air Defense Systems over Kyiv about 30 minutes ago. pic.twitter.com/lQBRGGbI5X
— OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) February 25, 2022
Posting to Twitter he wrote (translated), “According to preliminary data, three people were injured, one of them in critical condition, as a result of a rocket fragmentation in a residential building on Košice Street, 7-A. Ambulances take people to the hospital. All emergency services are working on the spot. The house is on fire, there is a threat of destruction.”
⚡️ За попередніми даними, троє поранених, один з них у важкому стані, внаслідок потрапляння уламків ракети у житловий будинок на вулиці Кошиця, 7-А.
Швидкі везуть людей у лікарні.
На місці працюють всі аварійно-рятувальні служби.
Будинок палає, є загроза руйнування. pic.twitter.com/Cu0Wn4Tp6J— Віталій Кличко (@Vitaliy_Klychko) February 25, 2022
Christopher Miller of Buzzfeed has been tweeting video and images of the incident.
⚡️Ukrainian Interior Ministry adviser Anton Gerashenko shared this video purportedly showing air defense systems take out a Russian aircraft over Kyiv’s Darnitsky region moments ago. Other explosions heard and reported around the capital. pic.twitter.com/e9wL7ZckUQ
— Christopher Miller (@ChristopherJM) February 25, 2022
The massive counterattack against the invading Russian military began to reverse early gains made by Putin’s so-called “military operation” in the early hours of the conflict’s second day. Anti-aircraft batteries and missiles which were silent or absent, along with air-raid sirens sprang to life as did the Ukrainian Air Force with rumors of an unknown Ace pilot known as the ‘Ghost of Kyiv’ gripping social media and the press.
The view over Kyiv from a friend’s apartment just outside the city.
It is madness. pic.twitter.com/ZK5VDN5KuE
— Monica Ellena (@monicaellena) February 25, 2022
Member of the Ukrainian Parliament Lesia Vasylenko tweeted about the events of the day saying,
“Kyiv sky was a firework the last couple of hours. Missiles. Planes. Whatever. People shaken to the bone by tremors, explosions and tragic prospects. #Ukraine stands united and you can stand with Ukraine”
Though belated as the nation’s government and military were clearly caught woefully off-guard it seems that the Ukrainian military may be finding their footing, just in time to blunt the Russian offensive perhaps enough to slow it down, though national security experts are doubtful that the far smaller force can effectively stop it. One thing is clear as of this writing: the Ukrainians are making them pay for every inch.