Morning brief: Ukraine claims to down Russian 'spy' plane, US jets intercept high-altitude balloon, and more

The Ukrainian military has claimed to havedowned a Russian A-50 military spy plane. Ukraine's Air Force commander Mykola Oleshchuk thanked his service and military intelligence for taking measures to bring down the suspected 'spy' plane, which they claimed was a long-range radar detection aircraft and emphasised how the incident coincided with a key Russian military holiday. Russia has not yet commented on these claims by Ukraine. In other news, US jets intercepted a high-altitude balloon traversing the western region of the country.

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Ukraine saidthey have downed a Russian A-50 military spy plane, which is the second such claim made by them in just a month. According to Ukrainian military sources, the plane was destroyed between the Russian cities of Rostov-on-Don and Krasnodar and nearly 200km from the front line.

US jets intercepted a high-altitude balloon traversing the western region of the country, media reports said citing officials. US officials reportedly confirmed that while the object posed no national security threat, where it originated from.

United States former president Donald Trump has said he supportsIVF treatments, as he joinsthe list of Republicans who have distanced themselves from a ruling given by an Alabama court over the issue.The top court of the state last week ruled that frozen embryos have similar rights as children andpeople can be held liable for destroying them.

Odysseus, which etchedits name in the history books by becoming the first American US spaceship to have landed on the moon in over 50 years, might have tipped over on the surface of the Earth's natural satellite. Steve Altemus, the CEO of Intuitive Machines, the private company that prepared the spaceship, reportedly said,"We might have fractured that landing gear and tipped over gently."

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