Ukrainian forces shot down a Russian Su-34 fighter-bomber near Zaporizhzhia early this morning, September 25th, around 04:00, according to Ukraine's Air Force. The aircraft was reportedly conducting bombing runs on Zaporizhzhia using guided bombs. Separately, overnight, Ukrainian forces targeted two An-26 aircraft and radar systems at Kacha airbase in Crimea, destroying at least one of the aircraft. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated in an Axios interview that if Russia does not end the war, Kremlin officials should prepare for potential retaliatory strikes. Meanwhile, a milblogger associated with the Russian Air Force, Fighterbomber, confirmed the loss of the Su-34 to Ukrainian fire. Reports also indicate a significant fuel crisis in Russia, with 360 gas stations having shut down, and nearly half of the stations in occupied Crimea out of service. These developments follow previous reports of Russian Naval Infantry brigades engaged in combat operations near Dobropillya and NORAD tracking Russian aircraft within the Alaskan Air Defense Identification Zone on September 24th. U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent reiterated on September 25th that American troops will not be deployed to Ukraine, with the U.S. focusing on selling weapons to European nations for transfer to Kyiv. Turkish Defense Minister Yasar Guler also reaffirmed Turkey's support for Ukraine's territorial integrity.
