Ukraine Claims Downing of Russian A-50 Spy Plane; Russia Deploys Replacement Further East

The change in operation location of the new A-50 is seen as Russia's tacit acknowledgement of Ukraine's successful targeting.

Ukraine's Air Force claims to have shot down a Russian A-50 spy plane over the Sea of Azov, a claim supported by the British defense ministry.
Russia has reportedly deployed another A-50 plane, but is operating it further east inside Russian territory, away from Ukraine.
The A-50 is a key asset for Russian operations over Ukraine, providing airborne early warning of threats and command and control functionality.
Despite no official statement from Russia, the change in operation location of the A-50 is seen as an acknowledgement of the successful targeting by Ukraine.
Russian military bloggers suggest the downed A-50 could have been a result of 'friendly fire' from Russian air defense.