British fighter jets intercept three Russian military planes flying near Nato airspace
Ukraine is “holding back a large-scale assault” by Russia’s forces near Bakhmut, while achieving “partial success” in Tuesday’s counteroffensive operations in the south, its deputy defence minister has claimed.
Kyiv’s troops have consolidated at the boundaries that were reached and have evened up the front line, Hanna Maliar said, as they push towards the city of Melitopol and Sea of Azov port Berdiansk.
Vladimir Putin’s generals also appear to be concerned about Kyiv’s ability to directly strike Crimea, having constructed “elaborate” defences near the occupied peninsula, Britain’s Ministry of Defence said.
That assessment came as the RAF scrambled fighter jets after a Russian navy aircraft and two fighter jets were seen flying near Nato airspace in Estonia and “failed to comply with international norms by not liaising with regional airspace control”, officials said.
It came as Rishi Sunak told delegates at a London conference aimed at drumming up funds to rebuild Ukraine that Moscow’s war “has only proved how much Ukraine has to offer” as an “investment opportunity”, while EU chief Ursula von der Leyen said she had “no doubt” Kyiv will join the bloc.
