In a significant development, Ukraine's air force announced that it successfully shot down a Russian Tu-22M3 long-range strategic bomber using antiaircraft missiles. This marks the first time Ukraine has taken down a Russian warplane since the war began in 2022. The incident took place in Russian airspace, approximately 300km (186 miles) from Ukraine's border.

The downed bomber had participated in a long-range air strike that resulted in the deaths of at least nine people in the central region of Dnipropetrovsk. The Ukrainian Ministry of Defence revealed that the aircraft was returning to its base in Russia after launching missiles at targets in Ukraine during the previous night.

Ukraine's military, in a statement issued on Friday, declared, "For the first time, antiaircraft missile units of the air force, in cooperation with the defence intelligence of Ukraine, destroyed a Tu-22M3 long-range strategic bomber." These bombers are commonly utilized by Russia to launch cruise missiles at Ukrainian targets from within its own airspace.

Russian officials, however, denied Ukraine's attack, emphasizing that the plane crashed due to a technical malfunction over the southern Stavropol region. The state-run TASS news agency quoted Russia's Defence Ministry stating, "A Russian armed forces Tu-22M3 aircraft crashed...due to a technical malfunction." Stavropol Governor Vladimir Vladimirov confirmed that one crew member died in the incident, while two were hospitalized. The search for the fourth crew member is ongoing.

Last year, Ukraine targeted these bombers while they were on the ground. However, as Al Jazeera correspondent Charles Stratford reported from Kyiv, this recent incident suggests that Ukraine still possesses the capability to take down aircraft and missiles from a considerable distance, despite the pressing need for better air defense systems.

In a separate attack, Russian strikes inflicted significant damage in the eastern city of Dnipro and its surrounding region, resulting in the deaths of at least nine people, including three children. At least 28 others were injured as the strikes damaged residential buildings and the main train station. Ukrainian authorities confirmed that air defense systems intercepted and shot down 11 out of 16 missiles and nine out of ten drones involved in the attack.

Following these incidents, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urgently called upon the country's Western allies to provide air defense systems. Zelenskyy emphasized on social media, "Every country that provides air defence systems to Ukraine, every leader who helps persuade our partners that air defense systems should not be stored in warehouses but deployed in real cities and communities facing terror, and everyone who supports our defense is a life saver."

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg expressed support for Ukraine, stating that the alliance is working on dispatching more Patriot batteries to the country as soon as possible. Meanwhile, the United States, one of Ukraine's major military aid suppliers, is expected to vote on a long-pending $61bn package over the weekend.

With tensions escalating and the need for air defense systems becoming more urgent, Ukraine continues to seek support from its allies in order to bolster its defense capabilities against Russian aggression.