Ukrainian air force chief accuses Russia of trying to discredit Kyiv

Ukraine's air force commander accused Russia early on Thursday of trying to discredit Ukraine over the crash of an aircraft in southern Russia and pledged his forces would continue to hit enemy targets.

"The goal is obvious - they want to diminish the international support for our state. It won't work!" Mykola Oleshchuk wrote on Telegram. "Ukraine has the right to defend itself and destroy the means of the aggressors' aerial attack."

Ukraine's air force, he said, "will continue to hit the enemy wherever they may be."