Russian Su-35 Jet Retreats From Dogfight With Ukraine Aircraft, Kyiv Says

Ukrainian and Russian fighter jets reportedly faced off with each other before the plane flown by Moscow's forces decided to retreat.

The dogfight took place as the Russian military continued with air and missile strikes targeting settlements in the region of Odessa, Ukrainian news outlet Ukrinform reported on Thursday.

A Russian fighter jet fired two missiles at Ukrainian planes, which were not damaged, on Wednesday and the Russian Sukhoi Su-35 jet "was forced to leave the duty zone in the air and retreat," according to the report, which also claimed that Kyiv's forces had intercepted a missile fired at the Black Sea port city.

The Ukrainian claims are unverified and Newsweek has contacted Russia's defense ministry for comment.

The air battle came as bitter fighting in the Mykolaiv and Kherson regions continued, Ukrinform said, adding that Ukrainian rocket artillery and aviation units have been attacking the Russian positions there.

Ukraine also said that Russian forces had shelled the village of Lymany in the Mykolaiv region damaging a kindergarten and the community administration building, although there were no reported casualties. These claims are also unverified.

The U.S. think tank the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) said that on Wednesday there were no claimed or assessed Russian territorial gains in Ukraine for the first time in 133 days of war. This supported the ISW assessment that "Russian forces have largely initiated an operational pause."

However, Russia is likely to mount an offensive toward Sloviansk, in the Donetsk region according to the city's military administration head, Vadym Liakh. He said on Wednesday that Ukrainian forces are holding Moscow's armies on the Siverskyi Donets river, CNN reported.

The British Ministry of Defense released an assessment that said Russia is likely to continue to consolidate its control over the city of Lysychansk after it fell to Moscow's forces.

British defense officials said on Thursday that heavy shelling had continued along the Donetsk frontline, "but with few advances being made by Russia, Russian units involved in last week's gains are now likely reconstituting."

The British defense ministry also noted that a law proposed by the Russian government to put in place "special economic measures" was aimed at supporting Moscow's war effort "without a formal declaration of state mobilization which remains politically sensitive."

Ukraine still controls 45 percent of Donetsk, but after taking over Lysychansk, Russian forces are now pushing toward Kramatorsk and Sloviansk. The head of the regional military administration, Pavlo Kyrylenko ,has urged civilians still in the Donetsk region to evacuate.