Russia is intensifying its use of air power as it launches offensive operations on the Ukrainian front, seizing territory but incurring heavy fleet losses.
Ukrainian frontline forces earlier this month identified Russian aviation as a key factor in the fall of Avdiivka, as air strikes – often using 500kg “glide bombs” – overwhelmed the city’s defenders.
Major General Vadim Skibitsky of Ukraine’s military intelligence service reported that “75 enemy bombs were dropped in Avdievka in one day” and called for the establishment of a new air defense system. Ukrainian military blogger Deep State said of glide bombs: “It’s hard to imagine how many people died from them.”
US think tank the Institute for Warfare (ISW) reported that Russia established “local air superiority” over Avdievka in the final days of the months-long battle, breaking a pattern of mutual denial by both sides. Limitations of the system – This situation persisted throughout the war.
The ISW said Ukraine’s inability to stop Russia’s 4,000-man fleet, the world’s second largest after the United States, could have “devastating” effects.
“Russia’s limited air superiority may allow the Russian military to more aggressively advance combat operations on the front line,” the think tank reported. “Wide disruptions to air superiority would allow the Russian military to conduct routine large-scale aviation operations and target operations beyond the front lines.” of Ukrainian cities, with devastating effects.”
A Ukrainian reservist officer and military blogger who goes by the codename Tatarigami reported that Russian airpower is currently supporting an advance outside Avtivka in eastern Ukraine.
“The target area for air-delivered guided bombs has expanded,” he wrote. “Russian aerial bombs were not limited to Avdiivka, but also extended to nearby villages in the rear, including Ocheretin, Novoselivka Persha and Novobach Mutivka.”
But Russia’s gains appear to have come at a high price.
Ukraine claims to have shot down 10 Russian aircraft in the past 10 days, including Su-34 and Su-35 fighter jets and a rare A-50 airborne command and control system used to detect enemy launches, estimated to cost more than £500m.
Some of these claimed losses were corroborated by Russian military journalists and open source investigators. The Kremlin has yet to officially comment.
According to public sources, Ukraine’s account will show that Russia is one of the fastest-losing countries in a war, losing at least 580 aircraft in this war Monitoring Project Oryx, much faster than the Russian defense industry can replace them. According to the same source, Ukraine lost at least 394 aircraft.
Thomas Neudick, an aviation expert at military news outlet, said Russia’s losses showed that the nightmare scenario of enemy aircraft bombing Ukrainian cities with impunity remains a distant prospect war zone.
“Despite recent advances and a bolder stance, Russia is still some way off air superiority,” he said, using the term to describe a situation in which the air force is dominant and has freedom of action.
Ukraine has adopted “an asymmetric approach to Russia’s numerical superiority,” Neudik added, citing Ukraine’s two recent A-50 shootdowns, which some analysts attribute to Kiev’s forward-positioned air defense systems hunting down High value targets. Aerial targets.
The aviation expert said Russia had caused its own problems through tactical mistakes, such as repeated failures to keep high-value aircraft out of range of enemy artillery.
Despite Ukraine’s concerns about air defense supplies, Mr. Neudik noted that Kiev was able to fend off the Russian fleet in the first months of the war while having a greater numerical advantage in Soviet-era defense systems that were later upgraded to high-end Defense systems Western systems such as the American made Patriot.
While Russia’s massive fleet won’t run out of aircraft, losses could still be devastating.
“Experienced personnel cannot be replaced, and Russia has difficulty producing certain high-tech weapons systems because of sanctions,” Neudik said.
Russia will also face a new aerial problem when Ukraine takes delivery of its first batch of U.S. F-16 fighter jets later this year.
Follow us on Google news ,Twitter , and Join Whatsapp Group of thelocalreport.in
