Russia lacks air superiority in Ukraine due to poor training and loss of experienced military personnel not easily replaceable, according to the U.K. Defense Ministry.
"Russia's aircraft losses likely significantly outstrip their capacity to manufacture new airframes," the ministry wrote on Nov. 7. "The time required for the training of competent pilots further reduces Russia's ability to regenerate combat air capability."
"(The situation) is unlikely to change in the next few months," it wrote.
Valerii Zaluzhnyi, commander-in-chief of Ukraine's Armed Forces, said Russia had lost more than twice the number of aircraft in Ukraine than during the 1979 Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. As of Nov. 7, Russian forces have lost 277 aircraft in its war against Ukraine, according to the General Staff. Meanwhile, the Soviet army lost 119 in Afghanistan.
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