Ukrainian forces down Russian fighter as Russia claims advances in Donetsk

KYIV — Ukrainian forces shot down a Russian fighter plane near Kostiantynivka in the Donetsk province on Saturday, as Russia claimed to have gained control of a village in the same region, intensifying the conflict in Ukraine’s east.

Serhiy Horbunov, head of the Kostiantynivka Military Administration, told Ukraine’s public broadcaster that the downed Russian bomber crashed into a house, setting it on fire. Photos from the scene revealed the charred remains of the aircraft.

In the occupied Donetsk province, Russia’s Defense Ministry said it had captured the village of Zhelanne Druhe, marking a potential strategic gain after Ukrainian forces withdrew from Vuhledar earlier this week following a protracted defense of the town.

While the loss of Vuhledar is unlikely to shift the broader trajectory of the war, it reflects Kyiv’s increasingly challenging position, compounded by U.S. restrictions on Ukraine’s ability to strike deep within Russian territory, limiting Ukraine’s capacity to degrade Moscow’s military assets.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced Saturday that he will unveil his “victory plan” at the upcoming Ramstein meeting on October 12, where nations supplying arms to Ukraine will convene at the leadership level for the first time.

“We will present clear, concrete steps towards a just end to the war,” Zelenskyy said, emphasizing the importance of international support to counter Russian aggression. While the details of the plan remain undisclosed, it reportedly includes Ukraine’s potential NATO membership and the request for long-range missiles to target Russian positions.

In southern Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia region, two people were killed by Russian shelling, according to regional Governor Ivan Fedorov. Meanwhile, Ukraine’s air force reported intercepting three guided missiles and downing multiple drones overnight, including three over Odesa.

In a separate incident, nine people were injured in Horlivka when a Ukrainian drone struck a passenger bus, according to the city’s Russian-installed mayor, Ivan Prikhodko. Russia’s Defense Ministry also reported shooting down 10 Ukrainian drones over its border regions, signaling an escalation in drone warfare on both sides. — Agencies