According to British estimates, the Russian Air Force is coming under increasing pressure in the war against Ukraine. In the past ten days, Russia has apparently lost four fighter jets and thus a total of 55 machines since the attack began in late February. This was announced by the Ministry of Defense in London on Monday, citing intelligence findings.
The spike in 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, it said. Added to this is the poor situational awareness of Russian pilots. Some planes got into denser air defense zones because of the fast-moving front over Ukrainian-controlled territory.
“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.
The British Ministry of Defense has published daily information on the course of the war since the beginning of the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine at the end of February, citing intelligence information. In doing so, the British government wants to both counter the Russian portrayal and keep allies in line. Moscow accuses London of a targeted disinformation campaign.