Russian defense ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov claimed Friday that Russian forces staged a “successful landing operation” to capture Hostomel airfield on the outskirts of Kyiv.
“More than 200 Russian helicopters were involved in the operation,” according to the statement. “The success of the landing was ensured by the suppression of the entire air defense system in the landing area, the complete isolation of the combat area from the air and the active conduct of electronic warfare.”
Konashenkov claimed that Russian forces killed more than 200 of the opposing forces and that there were no casualties among in the Russian Armed Forces.
CNN could not immediately corroborate those claims, but a CNN team on the ground witnessed Russian airborne troops taking positions at the airfield Thursday.
The Russian statement claimed — without evidence — that US military and intelligence advisers have instructed Ukrainian military leaders to place rocket artillery systems in residential areas to provoke return fire on local residents, echoing propaganda claims that the Russian military has made in Syria to counter allegations of civilian casualties caused by Russian strikes.
“I appeal to Ukrainian citizens,” Konashenkov said. “Your nationalist leadership uses the same methods as the terrorists. They want to use you as a human shield. The Russian Armed Forces will not inflict any strikes on residential areas of the Ukrainian capital.”
More context: Two residential buildings in Kyiv suffered damage in the early hours of Friday, but it’s not clear if they were intentionally struck or hit by debris, or if anyone was injured.
Ukrainian Deputy Interior Minister Evgeny Yenin told CNN a Ukrainian Sukhoi Su-27 fighter jet was shot down over Kyiv. Photos tweeted by the emergency forces appear to show a fire at a two-story private house with debris from what appears to be a plane nearby. It is unclear if the house was hit by remnants of the jet.
Separately, images showed firefighters working to put out a blaze at an apartment building on the left bank of the city.
