Vladimir Putin, in the midst of his ongoing war, has encountered another significant setback as his £40 million Su-34 bomber met its demise in an ambush within eastern Ukraine.

The Soviet twin-engine, two-seat aircraft suffered a fatal attack over the Luhansk region, a development confirmed by Ukrainian military spokesperson Andrii Kovalyov.

Disturbing footage circulating on social media captured the moment flames and smoke billowed into the night sky, purportedly from the downed bomber.

The fate of the Russian crew aboard the Sukhoi aircraft remains shrouded in uncertainty. With Russian forces grappling with a persistent stalemate on Ukraine’s frontlines, reports of downed aircraft are becoming increasingly prevalent.

Ukrainian government adviser Anton Gerashchenko revealed, “In total, according to the general staff, since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Moscow has lost 332 aircraft. We thank our heroes for their excellent work.”

The Kremlin has seen a substantial number of its Su-34 fighter bombers succumb to aerial strikes and attacks on airfields.

However, the Russian war Telegram channel, FighterBomber, swiftly contested the claim made by the Ukrainian armed forces.

The precise methods employed by Ukraine to achieve this feat remain unclear, although it is not the first instance where their military has demonstrated remarkable precision in targeting such aircraft. In December, the Ukrainian army successfully downed four Sukhois in a mere two weeks.

Furthermore, earlier this month, a 16-year-old Russian youth was incarcerated, facing a potential 20-year prison sentence for his involvement in igniting another bomber.

In tandem with these developments, reports have emerged of downed aircraft in Luhansk, coinciding with a heightened state of alert as Russian air defence systems grapple with a barrage of drones over occupied Crimea.

Ukraine launched as many as 21 drones, with the majority being intercepted, according to Russian news agencies. Mikhail Razvozhayev, the Moscow-appointed governor of Sevastopol, took to Telegram to report that there was no significant damage resulting from the drone attack on Sevastopol, Crimea’s largest city and a vital Black Sea port.

Ukraine-launched drones were also reported to have been downed over the Belgorod, Bryansk, Kaluga, and Tula regions, as per Russian agencies.