Since the attack on Ukraine began, Russia is said to have lost twice as many planes as in Afghanistan. According to British secret services, Moscow cannot make up for the high losses quickly enough. There is also a lack of well-trained pilots.
According to British intelligence experts, Russia cannot compensate for the losses of aircraft in the war of aggression in Ukraine. “Russian aircraft losses arguably far exceed their ability to produce new airframes,” said the British Defense Ministry’s daily update on the Ukraine war. The long time it takes to train competent pilots also reduces Moscow’s ability to regenerate its air force capabilities.
According to Ukrainian sources, Russian forces have already lost 278 aircraft since the invasion began. This is twice as many as in Afghanistan. “We cannot verify these numbers, but the continued lack of Russian air superiority is likely compounded by poor training, the loss of experienced crews, and increased risks from close air support in tightly-meshed anti-aircraft zones,” the statement said. That will probably not change in the coming months.
As early as September, the British Ministry of Defense reported that the Russian Air Force was coming under increasing pressure. The statement said the casualties may be partly due to the Russian Air Force taking greater risks to provide close-range support to ground forces under pressure from Ukrainian advances. Added to this is the poor situational awareness of Russian pilots. “Russia’s ongoing lack of air superiority remains one of the key factors underpinning the fragility of its operational design in Ukraine,” the ministry said on Twitter.
The British Ministry of Defense has published daily information on the course of the war since the start of the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine. The government wants to counter the Russian portrayal and keep allies in line. Moscow accuses London of a disinformation campaign.
