Ukraine shoots down a Russian fighter plane and Russia claims gains in the east

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukrainian forces said they shot down a Russian warplane on Saturday, as Russia claimed it had made territorial gains in eastern Ukraine.

The Russian bomber was shot down near the city of Kostiantynivka in Donetsk province, the head of the Kostiantynivka military administration, Serhiy Horbunov, told Ukrainian public broadcaster Suspilne. Photos show charred remains of a plane after it landed on a house that caught fire.

Also in the partially occupied Donetsk province, the Russian Defense Ministry claimed on Saturday that it had taken control of the village of Zhelanne Druhe.

If confirmed, the capture would come three days after Ukrainian forces said they were withdrawing from the frontline town of Vuhledar, some 20 miles (33 kilometers) from Zhelanne Druhe, after a hard-fought two-year defense.

Although unlikely to change the course of the war, the loss of Vuhledar is indicative of Kiev’s deteriorating position, partly the result of Washington’s refusal to allow Ukraine to attack targets deep within Russian territory and to prevent Kiev from compromising Moscow’s capabilities.

Zelenskyy will present his victory plan to allies

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Saturday he will present his “victory plan” at the October 12 meeting of the Ramstein Group of countries that supplies weapons to Ukraine.

“We will present the victory plan – clear, concrete steps towards a just end to the war. The determination of our partners and the strengthening of Ukraine are what can stop Russian aggression,” he wrote on X, adding that the 25th Ramstein meeting would be the first to take place at the leadership level.

Zelensky presented his plan to US President Joe Biden in Washington last week. Its contents have not been made public, but it is known that the plan includes Ukraine’s membership of NATO and the supply of long-range missiles to attack inside Russia.

Russia shells southern Ukraine and a Ukrainian drone crashes into a bus

Meanwhile, two people have been killed in Russian shelling in Ukraine’s southern Zaporizhia region, regional governor Ivan Fedorov said.

The Ukrainian Air Force said Russia had launched three guided missiles and 13 attack drones at Ukraine on Saturday night. It said the missiles were intercepted, three drones were shot down over the Odesa region and 10 others were lost.

Nine people were injured when a Ukrainian drone hit a passenger bus in the town of Horlivka in the partially occupied Donetsk region, the city’s Russian-installed mayor Ivan Prikhodko said.

The Russian Defense Ministry said on Saturday that air defenses shot down 10 Ukrainian drones overnight in three border regions, including seven over the Belgorod region, two over the Kursk region and one over the Voronezh region.

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Morton reported from London.

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Follow AP’s coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine