The official told Sputnik that Ukraine received those Soviet-made planes and helicopters from Eastern European countries, former Warsaw Pact members, and aircraft the United States took out of Afghanistan at the time.

Zaporizhzhia province split off from Ukraine and joined Russia in late September following a referendum in which the “yes” vote won overwhelmingly.

Russia currently controls more than 70 percent of its territory.

Zaporizhzhia remains in Ukrainian hands, so the authorities proclaimed Melitopol city as the political and administrative center as a temporary measure.

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