Captured Russian pilots say ‘we followed orders’ as 9 planes shot down in one day – World News

Footage shared on social media showed burning debris and frightened pilots as Putin sent teenage conscripts to their deaths with embarrassing logistical errors

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Russian helicopter shot down by Ukrainian forces

Captured Russian pilots begged Ukrainians to “just follow orders” when nine of Putin’s planes were shot down in a single day.

It is believed that Vladimir Putin was confident of defeating the country in just 48 hours, but after 11 days his forces are demoralized and facing stiff opposition, with some being filmed weeping for their mothers.

Photos show burning wreckage and frightened pilots, with a blood-soaked and bandaged man insisting he was “told nothing” despite being presented with bombing maps that appear to have been found in his cockpit. The sun reports.

Forced to say “Honour to Ukraine,” he asks, “Why are you bombing people?”

He was the surviving pilot after two of their affected planes parachuted over Chernihiv and Mykolaiv Oblasts.

For the latest updates, follow our live blog on the Russia-Ukraine War

Civilians cheered as the jet – believed to be a Sukhoi Su-34 fighter-bomber operating in Syria – was shot down.

Ukrainians claim to have killed more than 11,000 of Putin’s troops – many of them juvenile conscripts sent to their deaths by the despot.

Russian airstrikes have killed hundreds if not thousands of civilians across Ukraine, while more than 1.5 million have fled the country.

Video shared on social media of captured airmen in the back of a truck shows hijackers saying, “You’re killing our people, you b*****d”.

A pilot says he was on a rescue mission and argues he was only given “the order to fly.”

Although Russia has the second largest air force after America, with more than 4,000 aircraft, Russia’s advance into Ukraine has been slow.

Brutal attacks were punctuated by embarrassing logistical errors stemming from poor vehicle maintenance and apparent poor planning.

There were reports of Russian troops surrendering and even piercing their vehicles’ fuel tanks to avoid conflict.

Videos show Ukrainian farmers towing away expensive Russian tanks, rocket launchers and troop carriers.

A 40-mile “death convoy” ominously advancing on Kyiv amid fears of an impending siege appears to have stalled amid rumors of supply problems and shortages.

Experts suggested that images showing the vehicle’s shredded tires indicated a lack of regular maintenance.

Ukraine claims to have shot down 44 planes and 48 helicopters, blown up 285 tanks, 985 armored cars and 60 fuel tankers in less than two weeks.

Yesterday a Russian Hind helicopter was hit by a Stinger missile in the sky over Kozarovychi, 25 miles from the capital.

It is believed to have been a Soviet-era Mil Mi-24 Hind gunship, referred to as a “flying tank”, while elsewhere two MI-8 and two MI-35 helicopters and fighter planes, including two Su-34s, two Su-25s and one Su-30SM are believed to have been shot down from the sky.

This morning the defense ministry said the Ukrainian resistance appeared to be fighting back with surprising ferocity.

But there are fears that Putin’s actions will escalate as Moscow grows more desperate.

Russian forces have taken the strategically important Black Sea ports of Berdyansk and Kherson, but the ultimate goal is Kyiv and a peace deal is widely seen as the only likely end to the conflict.

Putin has described Western sanctions as a “declaration of war”.

He has said that anyone enforcing a controversial “no-fly zone” over Ukraine will be counted as having entered the war and has told the West he “will not forget” his response.

A truce was agreed to allow the evacuation of the blockaded port city of Mariupol to the south-east and the bombed eastern city of Volnovakha, but was reportedly breached by Russian troops.

Again this morning it said it was in place but there was no clear indication of how long it will last.

It comes as Boris Johnson crafted a six-point plan that he presented to world leaders on how to deal with Putin.

Meanwhile, US special forces and SAS commandos are said to be preparing for a risky rescue of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

The leader is said to have survived three assassination attempts in one week after double agents blew up the plans, but Russian Spetsnaz special forces are said to have now targeted him.