Mykola Oleschuk

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has dismissed Mykola Oleschuk, the head of the Ukrainian Air Force, according to Reuters. The announcement came shortly after the Ukrainian military reported the crash of one of its newly acquired F-16 fighter jets, resulting in the death of the pilot.

A 14-year-old girl lost her life following a Russian strike on a playground in the eastern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv. According to the BBC, at least five others were killed, and dozens were injured when the attacks also struck a residential building near the Russian border.

Ukrainian authorities have urged residents of Pokrovsk in the Donetsk region to evacuate quickly, as Russian forces advance towards the city. Russian troops are now less than 10 kilometers from Pokrovsk, a strategic location due to its significance as a transport and industrial hub, as well as its coal-rich area.

Ukraine's military announced the destruction of a Russian Tu-22 strategic bomber, allegedly involved in nighttime airstrikes targeting Ukrainian cities.

Day 671 of the invasion of Ukraine. Summary of key events in the last 24 hours:

President Volodymyr Zelensky denied on Saturday that Ukraine's counter-offensive against Russian forces had hit a stalemate, as hours later Kiev said it had struck a shipyard in the Moscow-annexed Crimean Peninsula.