Key facts
- Ukraine's Omega special forces claim to have struck a Russian Su-24M bomber at Saky air base in Crimea.
- The strike was reportedly carried out using two drones, hitting the aircraft's nose and near its fuel tanks.
- The Su-24M is a Soviet-designed supersonic frontline bomber used by Russia for strike missions.
- The aircraft was allegedly preparing for takeoff to carry out attacks against Ukraine.
- Thousands protested in Kyiv and other cities against the dismissal of Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov.
- Yevhen Khmara was appointed acting defense minister by President Zelensky.
Ukraine's Omega special forces unit claimed on July 16 to have struck a Russian Su-24M frontline bomber at the Saky air base in occupied Crimea using a drone attack. The unit stated that two drones hit the aircraft, which was reportedly preparing for takeoff to conduct strikes against Ukraine. The Su-24M is a modernized Soviet-designed supersonic bomber widely used by Russia in the conflict.
Separately, thousands of people rallied in Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities to protest the dismissal of Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov. President Volodymyr Zelensky appointed Yevhen Khmara, the acting head of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), as the acting defense minister. The Ukrainian parliament also appointed a new Cabinet of Ministers, headed by Prime Minister Serhii Koretskyi, though decisions on the defense and foreign ministers are pending presidential submission.
UK leader Keir Starmer announced during a recent visit to Kyiv that the UK would provide $340 million for Gripen jets for Ukraine. The dismissal of Fedorov has drawn criticism from lawmakers and civil society, who view him as an effective wartime official. Protesters expressed frustration and a sense of betrayal, arguing that his focus on technology and reform was crucial for Ukraine's defense.