Downed in the Kharkiv blitz: Residents cheer as Ukrainian surface-to-air missile takes down ANOTHER Russian jet over second city - taking Kyiv's claimed tally of downed aircraft to 45 of Putin's aircraft

• Footage has emerged of the moment an alleged Russian jet was shot down over Ukraine's second city Kharkiv
• The regional governor of Kharkiv claimed the Russian Su-25 fighter was hit by the city's Air Defence Forces
• Video appears to show the plane erupt into a huge fireball as it is struck by two surface-to-air missiles (SAM)
• Russia has racked up considerable losses since the invasion began, with the Ukrainian Armed Forces reporting late last night that they have downed a total of 44 Russian planes and 44 helicopters so far 
• Video has also surfaced of Russian pilots who were captured after bailing out of their aircraft over Ukraine 
• It comes as Russian forces continued their brutal bombing campaigns of several locations
• Follow all the latest updates on the Ukraine war on MailOnline's live blog here

By DAVID AVERRE FOR MAILONLINE- 6 March 2022 

Footage has emerged of the moment a Russian jet was shot down over Ukraine's second city Kharkiv earlier today. 

Oleg Synegubov, the regional governor of Kharkiv, claimed that the Russian Su-25 fighter was destroyed by Kharkiv's Air Defence Forces, which was later confirmed by the Kyiv Independent.

Video appears to show the plane erupt into a huge fireball as it is struck by two surface-to-air missiles (SAM) over Kharkiv's city centre, before the twisted remains tumbled out of the sky and exploded again upon impact with the ground. 

Synegubov said the plane was part of a squadron of between five and seven aircraft which have been conducting regular bombing runs over Ukraine's second city.

Kharkiv is one of the cities worst-hit by Russian bombing campaigns in recent days, after Putin ordered his forces to engage in sustained shelling of several locations across the country. 

But Putin's indiscriminate bombing campaigns, which have brought death and destruction to residential and administrative areas of Ukraine's cities, are set to continue through the night. 

Ukrainian soldiers can be heard cheering at the sight of their occupiers' burning aircraft streaking falling out of the sky, as the nation's armed forces continue to put up a bitter fight against the Russian onslaught.

It comes just one day after several clips surfaced of Russian pilots, who bailed out of their aircraft after being hit by Ukrainian missiles, being detained by territorial defence units. 

Ukrainians cheer as Russian aircraft 'shot down in flames'

 

Video appears to show the plane erupt into a huge fireball as it is struck by two surface-to-air missiles (SAM) over Kharkiv's city centre, before the twisted remains tumbled out of the sky and exploded again upon impact with the ground

Ukrainian soldiers can be heard cheering at the sight of their occupiers' burning aircraft streaking falling out of the sky, as the nation's armed forces continue to put up a bitter fight against the Russian onslaught

The burnt out remains of a building destroyed by Russian army shelling in the second largest Ukrainian city of Kharkiv, in the east of the country on March 6, 2022. Kharkiv is one of the cities worst-hit by Russian bombing campaigns in recent days, after Putin ordered his forces to engage in sustained shelling of several locations across the country

A man helps a wounded elderly woman to a building's basement for shelter, after Russian troops shelled the area in the second largest Ukrainian city of Kharkiv, in the east of the country on March 6, 2022

A young woman reacts as she crouches near the lifeless body of a man killed in a Russian rocket attack in Kharkiv earlier today

Further footage from a CCTV camera installed in a building in Kharkiv shows the sky light up as the Russian plane is hit by two SAMs in quick succession.

The Su-25 aircraft is typically used to provide close air support to ground forces, but has also been used to deliver missile strikes and bombing raids.

Russia has racked up considerable losses since the invasion began, with the Ukrainian Armed Forces reporting late last night that they have downed a total of 44 Russian planes and 44 helicopters in the past eleven days.

The reported losses provide further evidence of Russia's failure to gain air superiority – a tactical advantage that Putin thought would be achieved on the first day of the war.

The Armed Forces Air Command reported early this morning that one Su-25 fighter, two Su-34 fighter-bombers, two Su-30 SM planes, and three helicopters were shot down yesterday alone.

Dramatic footage showed the moment one of the helicopters was hit by Ukrainian territorial defence forces as it made a menacing low pass over a rural village about 25 miles from Kyiv.

The helicopter sustained a direct hit which sent brilliant orange flames bursting from the engine before the aircraft piled into the ground nose-first and exploded.

 

Further footage from a CCTV camera installed in a building in Kharkiv shows the sky light up as the Russian plane is hit by two SAMs in quick succession. The Su-25 aircraft is typically used to provide close air support to ground forces, but can also be used for delivering bomb and missile strikes

The Su-25 aircraft is typically used to provide close air support to ground forces, but has also been used to deliver missile strikes and bombing raids. Russia has racked up considerable losses since the invasion began, with the Ukrainian Armed Forces reporting late last night that they have downed a total of 44 Russian planes and 44 helicopters in the past eleven days (Russian Su-25 jet fighters pictured in September 2021)

Shocking footage of missile striking Russian helicopter in Ukraine

 

Russian pilots, some of whom are believed to have ejected from aircraft shot down by Ukrainian defences yesterday, have also been filmed saying they were simply 'following orders'.

Pictures and video show the men, some on their knees with their hands behind their heads and others bleeding heavily, after being detained by soldiers and civilians in a field. 

Video shared online shows a pilot, reportedly from a downed Russian aircraft, wearing an orange jumpsuit as he gets on his knees with his hands behind his head as his capture questions him.

It comes after footage showed two pilots ejecting from an aircraft - thought to be an Su-30 - after it was shot down over the Ukrainian city of Chernihiv yesterday.

Footage also emerged of a Russian pilot wearing a blue jumpsuit and a bloodstained T-shirt being treated for a head wound after he crashed in a field.

With a bandage around his head, he nodded wearily as Ukrainian troops asked him questions. 

A third video shows two men, reportedly Russian pilots with blood coming from their faces, being interrogated in the back of a van.

Unsettling video shows downed Russian pilot captured in a field

•  

 

Another pilot, also dressed in an orange jumpsuit and thought to be his colleague, was taken away by Ukrainian soldiers

Video emerged of a Russian pilot wearing a blue jumpsuit and a bloodstained T-shirt being treated for a head wound after he crashed in a field

 

The burning wreckage of a Russian Su-30 which crashed into a field near Chernihiv in Ukraine on Saturday after being shot down. Ukraine's Armed Forces Air Command reported early this morning that one Su-25 fighter, two Su-34 fighter-bombers, two Su-30 SM planes, and three helicopters were shot down yesterday alone

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